El jugador
by pegbronco
Summary: This was the first story I wrote, I have revisited it. Some editing has been done. Comments greatly appreciated. Game on. Starsky goes missing and Hutch goes looking. Not the game he wants to play.


"El jugador"

BY

PEGBRONCO

(I don't own the guys. Just like spending time with them.)

Hutch sat there, staring at the car. Starsky's pride and joy, and at times his torment. The thing that has at times been worse then a ride at Disneyland. White knuckled turns around corners. Heart pounding weaves through rush hour traffic. If it was one of the things that Starsky does well, it's drive. He took top honors at the Academy in driving and marksmanship. He can out drive and maneuver anyone on the run, and was anything if not lethal when he pulled the trigger of the Berretta. Hutch sat looking at it. He had driven it on occasion, and he'd have to admit that the car had the power to go wherever and do whatever asked of it. It was as much Starsky, as his own was him. The LTD with off colored finders, with a few good dents here and there. A bit messy, _a storage locker and trash bin on wheels_, he thought to himself as he glanced back at the backseat. The Torino was part of the package deal. To have Starsky in his life, the car came with him.

_"_Late again. Two Mondays in a row. Dobey will not be happy about this. Again_!" _he mumbled to himself. Deciding to go up, Hutch stepped out the car, his long legs took the steps up to Starsky's apartment two at a time.

The large tree that was encircled by the decking, shaded the deck from the morning sun. Something caught his eye. There he saw it. Stuck to the tree trunk was the note. The words in red jumped out at him. His heart jumped to his throat.

"THE GAME ON COP. TAG YOU IT! CLUES AROUND YOU. HIS HIDE YOU SEEK. YOUR KING AT GREAT RISK. REMEMBER I MONOPOLY THE GAME. HURRY OR SHIP SINKS. COP DIES. THATS LIFE."

Hutch stepped back to balance himself. Hutch felt like he'd been punched in the gut, the air immediately rushed from his lungs. His mouth suddenly dry. He went to reach for the note, but pulled his hand away. Evidence, finger prints. He raised his hand to his chest to ease his heart from coming out. "Oh Shit! Oh Shit!" the world tried to tilt on him.

He pulled his gun, looked around wildly for anyone hiding down on the street. He then stepped to the door. It was unlocked and ajar. He tapped it open with the barrel of the Magnum and slowly walked in.

The apartment was in disarray. Pillows on the floor. The rattan peacock chair knocked over. Books knocked off shelves. The plant the he gave him one Christmas, turned over and out of it's pot. _Starsky didn't go without a fight._

Something on the floor caught his eye. Starsky's necklace, leather string with two I Ching coins. He went to pick it up but hesitated, there was blood on the coins. _They cut it off his throat. Ohgod they cut his throat._ The room started to spin. He ran out the door and down to the car. Sweat beading off his forehead, his hands trembling.

" Zebra 3, to Dobey. Emergency!"

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TWO? You know this is the second Monday in a row that you two have been late?" Dobey barked out

"Captain! I need crime lab at Starsky's. NOW!" Hutch yelled back. "They've kidnapped him!"

"Slow down. What the hell are you talking about?"

"STARSKY'S GONE! They left a note. There's blood on the floor. I need help here, NOW!"

"They're on their way. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Dobey hung up the phone, then called crime lab to Starsky's address. He then rushed out the office door. The personnel that was in the hallway quickly got out of his way. For a large man, Dobey could move with ease when the need arose. They knew something bad had to be going down for the captain to rush out the way he did. They started to look at each other with questioning glances.

Hutch sat on the edge of the car seat. He wiped his hands across his face. _Damn Starsk, where the hell are you? _Hutch tried to tap into that bond that they had with each other. It was a strong intuition that they shared, knowing what the other was thinking, or about to do, how the other felt at times. They were best friends, partners, and soul mates. They were connected on a level that very few people experience in a life time. A connection that at times had saved the life of one or the other, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

_Think Hutchinson. Think over the last 36 hours. Maybe something is there. Who? When? _His mind racing. All he could think about was the necklace and the blood. Then to the note. _The note said 'Game'. _He raced back up the steps to the tree. _What the hell kind of game is kidnapping a cop? A cruel sick game._ He felt dizzy, his mind in an overdrive fog. _Think damn it_!

_Saturday we left the station at 6p.m. Went to The Pits. Had a beer and burger. We went to my place. Starsky insisted on a classic horror movie. It was late and he said that he was tired, so he stayed and slept on the couch._ It was second nature and an unspoken arrangement between the two, that if one or the other was to tired to drive home, the couch was theirs for the night. _I threw a blanket over him at 11, then went to bed._

Sunday morning Hutch put coffee on about 7:30. Hutch walked over to the couch, leaned over, gently brushed his long fingers across the black curls of Starsky's hair, and gave a gentle tug. "Coffee is on", he whispered. The small touches that they gave each other was their way of confirming that the connection and feelings they shared was strong and intact.

The touches started early in the friendship. Days at the academy could be very trying and a small touch every now and then was reassuring that things were going to be ok and they would make it. Even now they would crave the touches, the embraces, the arm around the shoulder or waist, the nudge of an elbow, a grip of the arm, just to assure themselves that things are going to be alright. No matter what others thought, and the rumor mill at the precinct was full of the Starsky and Hutch headliners, they knew in their hearts that it was ok for two men to touch one another without it being sexual. Besides, they didn't care what others thought. They had each other, head, heart, and soul, and that's what mattered. Simply pure love and affection for each other.

If it weren't for the women that they occasionally dated, and sometimes competed for, one could say that 'they' were the perfect couple. The closeness of the two guys meant, to date one partner, that the lady of the moment was also in a relationship with the other partner. Only two women ever came close to realizing that and unfortunately they were both dead. Terry and Gillan, both of their deaths in some way, connected to the partner's jobs, and with that, Starsky and Hutch realize that the only ones in their lives to love and trust would be each other. Their love and devotion to one another was all they needed in their lives. _Me and thee._ Hutch thought to himself.

"It's our day off. Sleep in, 'K?" Starsky moaned, as he curled up into the back cushions more.

"Ok buddy," giving him a soft rub on his back.

Hutch smiled down at him. The bond that they have was more then anyone would have ever expected. Starsky off the hard streets of New York, Hutch from the upper crust of Duluth. Fate threw them together, and only death would separate them. David Michael Starsky, Hutch cares and loves him deeply.

Starsky was up a short time later. They ate bacon, eggs, and whole grain toast with jam, coffee and Hutch had a vitamin and mineral health drink. Hutchs' was the health food place, while Starsky's was the junk food. A perfect combination.

Starsky decided to head home about 10a.m. Told Hutch that he was going to wash and wax the car, detail the inside of it. Nothing monumental going on. Asked him if he was coming over for the game.

"What time does it start?" Hutch asked as they walked to the door.

"Starts at 4."

"I'll bring the beer," Hutch replied to him as he held the door for him. He received a soft smile and a squeeze on the elbow from the curly haired man.

Hutch was over at his place at 4pm, and at the start of a good game. They ordered pizza about 6. The game went into extra innings. About 9:30 Hutch was tired and thought about staying the night, but decided to go, and would be back in the morning.

"I'll pick you up at 7:30. Please be ready," Hutch said with a stern look.

"I'll be ready. I'm always ready on time," Starsky said with that crooked smile of his.

"Being 45 minutes late this past Monday, was being on time?" Hutch asked pointing a finger at him.

"Depends on who's clock you go by," he snickered back as he sauntered across the room towards Hutch.

"Just be ready. And we are not taking the Tomato. It's a new case, quiet, undercover, not roaring around town in a sideshow with guns blazing like the western the other night."

"Ya know, we could give up all this glory and move to Bolivia," Starsky said as he winked his blue eye at him, and as he reached up and grabbed a hand full of Hutch's long sun bleached-golden hair and gave a loving tug. As late as it was, he was still in a playful mood. _Just like a kid_.

Hutch pointed his finger at him once again as he hesitated at the door then closed it behind him. He stood at the railing of the deck and looked down at the cars. Even in the moonlight, the Torino shined like a red beacon in the night. He went down the steps and brushed his hand across the hood of the gleaming red car. Smooth as a baby's bottom. Starsky did a great wash and wax job. He looked over at his car. There was no wax and Mother Nature hadn't washed it for him lately, so it was covered with city dirt and grime. _Oh well, maybe we'll get some rain soon_.

_It's Monday morning, 's been eleven hours._ _When would they have taken him? Just as I left last night or early this morning? _His heart still trying to come out of his chest.

"Buddy I'm coming, just hang in there," he said out loud. He stood there looking at the note. Off in the distance he heard the sirens getting closer. Help was here. He went down to the cars. He brushed his hand across the hood of the Torino as he did the night before. "Oh Starsk, I'm going to find you."

Starsky's head was pounding, and his right check felt like it was on fire, and the left side of his chest felt tight, breathing was difficult. He was also gagged. He had a sickly sweet taste in his mouth, _must have used chloroform_. His stomach trying to rid it's self of last nights meal. He swallowed hard_. Keep it down or you'll chock to death_. He opened his eyes and the light from the room burned into his brain. He tried to get his senses back, his mind was fogged. He didn't know how long he had been there, and for that matter, didn't know where "there" was. He was dressed in nothing but his navy blue pajama bottoms. He tried to move, but found himself with his hands bound behind him and his legs bound at the ankles to his wrists. He then realized that he was in a medal box. _No wait_…he blinked harder and looked up. A cast iron tub. Then he heard it as much as he felt it, running water, and it was ice cold. _This is something new. What the hell is this all about_.

He laid there thinking of some way to escape. His mind ran back to Simon Marcus. The leather straps that had bound him then, loosened with water. But this time he could feel that the bindings were possibly telephone cord. No stretching of the cords this time. The cords were also digging into his flesh. His legs began to hurt from the angle that they were bent. The position he was in began to take it's toll. The sides of the tub were confining and moving seemed out of the question. He struggled to raise himself but was unsuccessful. The wire tightening and cutting even more. Panic started to set in. He tried to yell for help but the gag muffled him. He laid there defeated in the cold water, shivering. The water was ever so slowly rising.

_HUTCH! I need you to find me! _Closing his eyes, he mentally yelled out. _Please hurry._

Hutch stood between the cars with his hand on the Torino when Dobey pulled up. The crime lab crew were already working gathering evidence. Dobey rushed over to him. Hutch looked as if he was somewhere else.

Hutch felt a chill run through him. Cold!. "He's cold," he softly said to himself.

"Hutch, what's going on? Speak to me." Hutch blinked, then turned to the captain.

"He's gone. They left a note. Games. What kind of sick-o plays games with cops?" Hutch mumbled.

"Wait here," Dobey ordered.

Dobey went up to investigate and see what was found so far. The lab tech was taking pictures of the note, he stepped aside and allowed Dobey to get a good look at it. He read the note then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow. He then went inside. "What have you got for me?"

"Well, we've taken pictures and Polaroids of everything that we've found, and that's not a lot." He handed the Polaroids over to Dobey. "We're still finger printing. We've got blood on the floor and wall by the door. A necklace with blood. We also found the tub with running water. They must have took him just as he was about to shower. Other then that, just a plant next to the couch, the pillows, the chair knocked over, books on the floor. Nothing really to go on Sir."

"Thanks. Keep up the work. I want everything documented, even if you don't think it's important." Dobey ordered. He went out to the deck. The sun was starting to warm up the cool morning. He looked down to Hutch, who was still holding onto the Torino for support. He went down to his detective.

"Hutch, lets get to the office. We need to sort this out," he reached over and laid a hand on Hutch's shoulder. Hutch stood there in a daze. He then stepped back from Starsky's car. Dobey kept an eye on him. He looked as he would fall over. The tall blond Nordic that always seems to be the pillar of strength, was turning paler. "Hutch, we need to get to the station. Let the lab team do their job and finish up here. We need to go over what we have so far." Dobey hesitated. "Hutch are you listening to me?"

"Yeah.. I hear you Captain. I'm coming." Hutch said in a low, almost unaudible voice. "I'll be there."

Dobey walked over to his car, and then glanced back at Hutch. He could see the pain and anguish. His two detectives were close, real close, and extremely protective of each other. When one was hurt or sick the other was there, and there was talking the healthy one out from mother-hening the other. Dobey always gave in to their need to care for each other. They were his top detectives and his friends. He turned and got into his car and left for the precinct.

Hutch felt compelled to go back up. Maybe something would tell him where Starsky was. They were about to bag the note, when he got to the deck.

"Could you wait a second please?" he asked quietly. He stood there reading the note again. The red letters reminded him of Marcus. Starsky's name in blood on the mirror. Hutch tried to wipe the image from his mind. Marcus was put away so deep within the prison system, that no one was having contact with him. His followers disbanded or jailed. So who would have taken him?

He went inside one more time, maybe he could get some kind of feeling from being around Starsky's things. Then he noticed Starsky's gun and holster still hanging on the hat rack next to his bed. _He didn't even have time to go for his gun_. That was when Hutch started to self destruct and blame himself. _What if I had stayed last night? I could have saved him. They wouldn't have tried to take him with both of us here. He would be safe now._ Hutch walked to the bathroom. The water was still running slowly. Starsky liked morning showers. _So they could have taken him this morning. If I had gotten here earlier, then he wouldn't have been alone._ He dragged his hands through his hair then down his face. The crease between his brows deepened. The pain he was in was very evident. He had a hard time catching his breath. _Oh Starsk, I'm so sorry buddy, I let you down. I should have been here for you._ Guilt ridden, he took one last look around and walked out.

Starsky looked up and tried to see over the edge of the tub. He could see a window in the wall behind the tub with a large tree just outside. He could see through the large limbs that there was a storm coming, he also heard it coming. He decided one more time to move. He was able to move his hips a fraction at a time, the bindings continuing to cut into him. With much effort and pain he was now looking straight up. The water streamed near his head, and down his shoulder, with the water level now about 3 inches deep, he started to panic a little. The cold water chilled him through to his bones. He was shivering uncontrollable. His joints ached from being tied like he was. His wrists and ankles on fire from were the wire was cutting into them, the water swelling the skin around the wire.

He looked up and saw the shut off valves were located on the pipes about 3 feet above the edge of the tub. The drain plug was under his head, but was flush with the bottom. The pull chain for it was also on the pipes with the shut off valves. _Shit, this is not good. I'm goin' to drown_. His heart started to race, and breathing was difficult with the gag. He tried to get the gag off by pushing his head back and forth on the tub side, seeing if he could get the material to roll up some, but it was tied to tight, and his hair was wet and his curls were entangled in it. _Hutch you need to hurry buddy. I really need you right now_.

Hutch arrived at the office a short time after Dobey. He walked down the corridor in silence, not looking at anyone The other officers stepped out of his way. They now had heard of Starsky's kidnapping and they knew at this time the best thing was to give Hutch his space until this was over. A rookie, not knowing the two detectives personally, but heard rumors about them, stepped in front of Hutch.

"I'm sorry to hear about your partner. Hope that you get the bastards that took him." Hutch meet the man's eyes. The rookie could see fire in the steel blue eyes of the detective. Hutch sidestepped him without a word as he pushed open the doors to the squad room. The rookie stood there with a blank look on his face.

"Don't take it hard man," Baker told him. "Starsky and Hutch are a pair that only comes along once in a blue moon. You wont see one without the other, and you don't mess with one without bringing out the fire of the other. They're the best team this department has, and you can learn a lot about bringing down the criminals from those two," he told the rookie. "Right now, you need to give him space to work this out, and this is over. Hutch will be in his own world until Starsky is returned safe and sound. We've been through this before, when Starsky was kidnapped by Simmon Marcus, and even poisoned. Even when Hutch went missing a couple times. Just about two years back, he was pinned under his car in the canyon, Starsky was the same way. Starsky was going crazy when Hutch nearly died of the plague. Your new here, so you'll learn how these two work." The rookie started to walk on, but glanced through the glass window at the detective. _Just how close are they? _

Hutch weaved his way through the chairs to his desk that the two detectives shared, and stood there looking across at Starsky's empty chair. _I'm going to find you, just hold on_. Hutch looked down and grabbed a file off his desk without really even thinking about it and walked around the desk. He touched the back of Starsky's chair, and again felt a cold chill. Was Starsky trying to tell him something? He reached out for the door knob to Dobey's office, and a thought went threw his mind. Starsky was the one who usually opened the doors for him. He never really paid to much attention to that until just then. He entered Dobey's office.

He laid the file down off to the side of the captain's desk, "Captain," he said as dropped into his usual seat on the right.

"This is what we have so far Hutch," he said as he slid the Polaroids across the desk to him. Hutch thumbed through them. The note, the chair, the tree, the plant, the tub, the pillows, then the necklace. He tossed the others back on the desk and sat looking at that one. The coins with blood on them. Starsky's blood. Now the rage started to set in. Hutch pounded his fists on the desk as he got up from the chair.

"Captain, these aren't helping," he yelled. He started to pace. "We need to be out there looking."

"CALM DOWN! Just where do you expect to start?"

"I don't know, but here isn't out there on the streets."

"Hutch we have to figure this thing out first."

Hutch turned, "The note said, 'ship will sink.' Maybe he's at the shipyards."

"Do you realize how many shipyards there are?" the captain snapped.

"We have to start somewhere," he yelled back.

"Settle down Hutchinson. I've got an APB out for him. I've got half the town out looking for him. Don't think that I don't care, 'cause I do. The note said 'clues', lets start there," the captain said trying to calm the argument down a notch. He pulled the photo of the note from the pile.

Hutch walked back to the chair and plopped back down in it. "The note is the clue Captain!" Hutch reached over the desk and grabbed the photo. "It's a list of games. Tag, Hide and Seek, Clue, Monopoly, Chess, Battleship, Life. They're games of chance and strategy. The only one we know that plays mind games is Marcus, and he has had no contact with the outside world, so it has to be someone new in town," Hutch replied.

"Who would be new in town and knows where you two live?" the captain asked. Hutch thought over what was just asked. _Where you two live_. It was the way he put it that Hutch's mind wondered for a second. They, in a way, lived together. Each with their own apartment, but stayed at both. Hutch had clothes and personal belongings at Starskys' and Starsky's things at his place. They each had keys to the others place and cars. They spent just as much time at the other's place as their own.

"Hutch are you listening to me? I asked if you two had started on the new case yet?" the Captain asked startling Hutch's mind back.

"What... Captain, we um... we were to start on it this morning, but we haven't even opened the file yet, so I don't think that has anything to go on," Hutch ran his finger across the bridge of his nose. "Lets start with the first game Captain. Tag. Children running around blindfolded in a circle trying to tag someone else," Hutch sat back in the chair. "They've got him blind folded and I'm running in circles, no wait, the note said I'm it, so I'm blindfolded, and running in circles, yes, 'cause I don't know where to start. Damn it!"

"Settle down. What's the next game?"

"Clue is next." Hutch picked up the photos again. "Maybe the clues are here." he said as he glanced through the pictures again.

"Next is Hide and Seek. They have him hid and I have to find him. Self explanatory there. Next is Chess. 'Your King at great risk.' The king is Starsky. The other player has the king in their sight and the next move is checkmate. Game over." His eyes turning dark blue with rage. A headache started pounding behind his eyes. He looked over at the captain, and without a word from Dobey , just the look that he got, Hutch tried again to concentrate. "Monopoly. The person that has him is in control of this whole mess. Battleship. Again, at the docks somewhere. The last is Life. Life and death. The death of Starsky. If they so much as hurt a hair on his head, I'll lose my badge Captain." his anger bubbling at the surface. His friend meant more to him then his badge, and he would do whatever it took to get him back, badge be damned.

Hutch sat there trying to keep his rage under control. There had to be something to jump start his brain in the right direction. The only thing he could think about was Starsky. Was he dead already? _No…I can still feel him_. The most important question was, where is he. _Think Hutchinson, keep your mind on the right track. Work it through, put the pieces together. Keep the emotions in check. But this was Starsky we're talking about. My best friend and partner. Of course emotions are going to be high. _

Hutch stood, looking down at the photos, then started to pace again. The captain could do nothing for the pain that Hutch was in. He just knew that until Starsky was found, Hutch was going to be on edge, and he had to be patient to allow him to try and work it out.

"The note said 'clues all around.' Lets look at this one picture at a time," Hutch said. He sat back down. He picked up the picture of the tree. "Why pin it to the tree? Why not to the door? Has to mean something. Maybe means there's trees where his at. Maybe decking - the docks." He tossed it down and picked up the picture of the books. He looked at it, the only thing coming to mind is a library, nothing else. Then the picture of the over turned chair, "nothing, could have been turned over in the struggle." Then the photo of the plant out of it's pot, "nothing from this either."

Frustration was building inside him. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep his headache from exploding behind his eyes. He tossed the picture down and picked up the next one, the tub with the water running. Thinking to himself, _water - the docks again came to mind. Running water, streams, lakes, the ocean._ The trip to Pine Lake rushed through his mind. _Could they be holding him at a lake somewhere? Water - drowning, was Starsky drowned?_ Hutch pushed the thought away as fast as it came. Starsky is alive, he had to believe that. He felt it. Starsky wasn't dead. He felt a chill run threw him again.

The Captain looked up at Hutch and saw that far away gaze again. "You come up with something?" he asked. "Hutch?" he reached over the desk and laid a hand on Hutch's arm.

"Oh... yeah Captain?" Hutch asked coming back into focus.

"You were somewhere else. Mind cluing me in?"

"They may have him at a lake. I don't know, just a thought."

"You came up with that by looking at a tub?"

"I don't know, I'm just trying to get something to start with here. I keep getting a chill. I think he's cold and wet. I don't know." he threw the picture down and got up and crossed the room, leaned his head against the door. He turned with a wild look on his face. "Pine Lake, the Satan worshipers." he said pointing a finger at Dobey.

"They're jailed and were moved back East, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Water, the tree and decking, the plant," Hutch was mumbling to himself. "What about that warehouse on the docks where the florists buy all the flowers from?" he said snapping his fingers.

"Check it out!" Dobey yelled out at him, but Hutch was already out the side office door. Dobey went to the door eyeing two detectives in the hall, "Simmons, Babcock, follow him!" The two detectives turned and ran after Hutch, not to sure where they were headed, but they were going to get there fast by the look of Hutch. It was hard for them to keep up with the long legs and stride of Hutch. Hutch turned a corner in the hallway bumping Minnie off her feet. "Sorry." was all he said and was gone before she could say a word. This only slowed him down momentarily, giving the two detectives in chase, time to close the distance between them.

Minnie had just got on shift and hadn't heard yet. She popped her head in the captain's door. "Captain, is everything Ok? Hutch just plowed me over and couldn't leave fast enough. I was waiting for Starsky to follow behind. Where is that sweet partner of his anyways?" she asked.

"Starsky has been kidnapped. Hutch has a lead on where he might be at," Dobey said quietly.

"Oh that poor man. I hope that Hutch finds him safe and sound. Things around here wouldn't be the same without my favorite detective around," she said as she backed out the door and closed it.

Dobey agreed to what she said to himself. Things would definitely be different with both his best detectives gone, because if anything did happen to Starsky, Hutch would lose his mind. He was torn on how to handle these two. It was good that they were so in tuned with each other for the job's sake, with life working the inner city streets as a cop being hard enough, but these two took that bond to each other to a much deeper level. This is what worried him. Dobey knew that losing one would guarantee losing the other and this tore at his heart. He sat back down, grabbed up the photos and started to thumb through them. He stared at the one of the necklace. He remembered when Starsky had bought it, and he had asked him about it one day when they were in his office.

"It's a good luck charm. Brings me good health and prosperity. Figure in this line of work, I need all the good luck I can get," Starsky said with that boyish charm and enthusiasm. That's Starsky, a kid at heart.

"And, you believe that?" Hutch asked while examining the coins. "Besides I thought I was your good luck charm." Looking up, ocean blue eyes meeting sapphire blue eyes.

"Can't hurt now can it? And you still are, buddy." The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment. "Me and thee buddy, always." Starsky said softly with a wink to him. Hutch gave a squeeze on his arm and big smile. Dobey pretended not to notice the exchange between the two.

Dobey laid the photo down, stood, turned to the window, folded his arms over his belly and just looked out the window. "Hutch you better find him soon, for everyone's sake."

Hutch made it out to the car with Simmons and Babcock on his heels. He placed the mars light on the top of the car and was gone before the other two had time to blink. They jumped into their car and was soon on Hutch's trail. They knew this was serious, especially sense it involved a cap, and not just any cop - Starsky.

Hutch's mind was racing as fast as he was driving. _Starsk, I'm coming. You just hold on. I'm almost there._ He took a hard left turn and almost ran into a large truck. Simmons slammed on the breaks. The large truck seemed to take it's time moving out of the way. Simmons got the car rolling again, but had lost Hutch in the mean time. They were at the docks and looking down a row of warehouses, so Hutch couldn't have gotten to far.

Hutch slowed down, removed the light from the top of the car and slowly drove down the last row of buildings looking for anything out of the ordinary. Simmons was able to catch up with him. Hutch pulled in front of a large building with a couple container trucks that had flowers pictured on the side of them. He parked around the side, with Simmons pulling in next to him. He slowly got out of the car with his gun pulled. Simmons and Babcock followed behind. Hutch waved them to the left of the door. As they entered, the smell of thousands of flowers hit them. They walked threw rows and rows of fresh cut flowers and plants. The air was cold due to the refrigeration to keep them fresh. There were workers pulling and packaging flowers into boxes for deliveries. They stopped what they were doing only momentarily. Hutch moved to the back to the only other door that was in the place. He stood there with his back to the door.

"Open up, police!" he yelled as he barged in, not giving who may be in there time to react. "Where is he?" he demanded pointing the Magnum. He looked at the lady standing behind the desk, who dropped a pile of papers on the floor. Startled she stepped back.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked as she tried to catch her breath. "All my workers are legal. I have all their documents," she said as she pointed to a file cabinet.

"My partner - Starsky, where is he?" still pointing the gun at her.

"I don't know who your talking about," she stood there trembling.

Hutch looked around the small office. He stepped forward lowering the Magnum, holding his shield for her to see.

"I'm Detective Hutchinson. Have you had any unusual activities going on around here?" he asked softly.

"No! I don't know what your talking about. I run a legitimate business here Sir. I have all my documents to show you," she said as she bent over to retrieve her papers.

"That won't be necessary. Sorry," was all he said as he looked around, convinced that Starsky wasn't there, then left the office.

Babcock stepped through the door, "If you see or hear of anything would you please call this number?" he said as he handed her a card. She stood there a bit dumfounded over the whole incident.

Hutch stepped out the office, still hoping that Starsky was there. He wondered to the back of the building, still looking for any signs, still nothing. "This was a dead end. The wrong place," he said to Babcock as he walked past him and walked back out to the car.

"Damn it where are you?" he said as he pounded the roof of the car. He looked around to the other buildings. They too looked like business as usual. Simmons and Babcock joined him. They also found nothing.

"Hutch, we'll find him," Simmons said.

"We're looking in the wrong place, wasting time," Hutch snapped back. Without another word he got in the car and drove off. The two detectives just stood there looking at each other. "Somebody better find him soon, or Hutch is going to explode." Simmons said. They got in their car and headed back to headquarters.

"Zebra 3 to Dobey."

"Go ahead Hutch."

"Nothing here Captain. No sign of anything suspicious. He's not out here. I'm on my way to Huggys' to see if he heard anything."

"I'm still waiting on the lab work from his apartment. Hopefully there'll be something there." the captain said.

Hutch was already tired of the game. "I'll be back as soon as I'm done over at The Pits."

He drove along the boulevard, the old LTD creaking and rattling in rhythm with the bumps in the road. The air was heavy with the smell of salt and sand. Off in the far distance he saw a large storm brewing. He drove on, his mind running over and over on the last couple of cases. Nothing came to mind on who would have taken him out of revenge. Hopefully Huggy could help. He drove with his mind on his partner.

The storm was now over head, and was intensifying, Starsky's mind was running on high gear. His emotions mixed with anxiety. He hated storms to begin with, but now here he was in a strange place, no idea how he got there, beat up, tied up, and in a tub of water. A loud clasp of thunder and lightning brightened up the room. The lights flicked out.

_Oh great! Now the power is out._ He then realized that the water had also stopped running. _Must be on a well. Wells run on pumps, the pumps on electricity. With the power out, the water quit. That's at least some good news. Now hope that it stays off._

He was able to prop his head up on the side of the tub a little, a few more inches of water and he was done for. But the panic he felt now was about lightning, and the fact that he was in a iron tub full of water. _What if it hits the house? I'm toast. _He tried not to think about it, but this was a big storm, one that he hasn't seen in a long time. This one was full of electricity. Lightning was hitting all around the place. _Hutch… please buddy, HURRY!_

Hutch walked into The Pits. One look at Hutch and Huggy knew that something was up. Hutch sat down in a chair at the back of the bar. "Hey my man, what's happening? Where's curly?"

"You heard anything about someone snatching a cop? They've got him Hug. Sometime last night, took him from his home. This guy likes playing games. Left a note."

"Not that I'm aware of. Man what kind of a dude snatches a cop as a game?"

Hutch sat there, put his hands through his hair, his head bowed. The worry and emotional pain was written all over his face.

"Hutch we'll find him," Huggy laid a hand on Hutch's shoulder. "Hutch, you alright man? I know that your worried about Starsky, but you have to take care of yourself also. When was the last time you ate?"

"Last night at Starskys'. Huggy I don't have time for that," waving a hand at him. Are you sure you haven't heard or seen anyone new in town?" looking up at the tall, rail thin black man.

"Let me make a call. I might know someone, who might know someone, if catch my drift," the man left Hutch for the phone. Hutch just sat there with his hands on the table staring at them. His mind running in to many directions, that he didn't notice when Huggy came back a short time later with a small smile on his face.

"Look," he announced, startling Hutch, "I made a call to a man who knows a dealer. Seems that there is a man in town from Mexico. Goes by the name of Manuel Rojas. Seems he's a heavy dealer down there. Here to check on this end of his dealings."

Hutch looked at Huggy with a curious look. "Why does that name seem familiar?" he asked Huggy.

"Man, I don't know. You know that I don't get mixed up with that crowd. Those Mexican drug lords are just plain cruel. I hear that they cut off body parts of anyone that does them wrong. Man, just plain mean. This dude goes by a nickname. I think he said "El jugador", or something like that. I know it's not much, but that's all I've got for you."

"Thanks Huggy." Hutch rose out of the chair. "El jugador" he repeated softly to himself. "That translates to "The Player". Huggy, that's who has Starsky," he slapped the black man on the back and ran out to the car. "Your welcome!" Huggy yelled out after him.

"Zebra three to Dobey!"

"Go ahead Hutch."

"Captain, I think I know who has him. I'm on my way back."

"You got a name?"

"See what Collins in R&I can pull up on a Manuel Rojas, a drug lord out of Mexico."

"Hutch that's the name of the man you two were suppose to be checking into. He's your next case."

"I'm on my way," Hutch said as he threw the car into drive. "_El jagador," The Player. So you like to play games. I'll give you game to play. _Hutch raced back to the precinct.

Hutch bulldogged his way through the halls of the precinct, slamming the double doors open, his mind on his mission. The rookie from that morning was about an inch away from having a face full of door, Hutch didn't notice him as he ran past. "Man…he is one intense individual. Is he always like this?" he asked Simmons as he and Babcock walked towards the office. "When it comes to Starsky, yes."

"I saw him earlier, looked like a fire burning in his eyes. Everyone tells me that they're great cops, real close to each other."

"The best, and yes they are," was all he told him as they walked on. The rookie straightened out his shirt, held his head up and continued thruogh the door. _Great cops and real close, could be a deadly combination for someone._

Starsky laid in the cold water with uncontrollable shivers. His joints screaming in pain, his chest tight. The power was still out. The storm pounding the windows with rain. He had to stay calm and focus on something else. Hutch would find him soon. _Oh Hutch, I know your out there going crazy. I can feel your pain buddy._ His mind started to drift. He thought of his mom and brother Nicky, back in New York. He thought of his dad, and how his death had effected the family. How he followed in his father's footsteps to become a cop. He thought about how his own death would effect the family. Mostly he thought of Hutch. He knew that his death would effect him the most, his emotionally charged friend, it would be devastating for him. Just as Hutch's death would be just as devastating for him.

Hutch was his best friend and partner, and not just any partner. Hutch was his life at work and at home. Their connection to each other is what keeps him going, when life is good and the times when life was crashing around him. During the shooting at Giovanni's restaurant, the poisoning, Marcus, and Terry's death, Hutch was there. Holding him when he needed comforting. Always there to laugh with, cry with, and to yell at. Hutch was always quietly and patiently waiting for him to heal, to get over an illness, or to get over a short rage of anger. Hutch was there to nag at and pester during long, boring stake outs. In turn he was always there for Hutch. Hutch had only allowed him into his soul, and he knew that Hutch would be lost without him. _Can't find his way out of a paper bag with out me_. In the public's eye Hutch came across as aloof and often mistook as smug, but Starsky knows the truth. He knows him as a compassionate, loyal and tender companion, but utterly emotionally dependent on him, as he is of Hutch. He had to hold on, for Hutch's sake. _I'm not going to let you down babe. I'm here waiting for you to find me. You just have to hurry_.

A bolt of lightning hit near by. The flash filled the room with intense reds and whites, blinding him. He could feel the whole room shake from the impact. The window panes rattled. Again… a second one hit next to the house. His heart, now hammering against his chest, jumped a couple beats. A small tear ran down the side of his face. He was truly scared.

Hutch flung open the squad room doors, and just about sprinted to his desk, knocking chairs out of his way. The other officers in the room looked up at the tall blond rummaging through the pile of folders on his desk in frustration. He rushed to the captain's office. "That file I had earlier, where is it?" he asked, out of breath.

"Hutch, calm down. It's right here." the captain said as he handed it over to him.

Hutch flipped open the file and began to pace the room. "He goes by the nickname "El jugador", The Player. Manuel Rojas is a drug lord from Mexico, with his main connections from South America. Runs large opium farms down there. Runs the drugs through Mexico, to the U.S. Seems he's here checking up on his ties here. Wants to make sure that everything is running smooth on this end. But we busted one of his top dealers last week. Captain that must be why he snatched Starsky. We're getting in his way!" He looked at the photos that were in the file. Rojas was an older grey haired man. The photo was taken with him sitting in a large chair, behind him, shelves of books and large statues in the background. A man of wealth. _Seems he likes the better things in life. _Then it occurred to him, he laid the file down and picked up the Polaroids and laid them out.

"Look Captain," he said. "The picture of Rojas has him sitting in a chair a lot like Starskys' - white rattan high back. The books on the floor - bookshelves in the back ground. The tub of running water - the statues with a water fountain. Captain this is our man. These were the clues. If we had only opened the file sooner we would have known. We've wasted a whole day chasing our tails around."

"Hutch we now know it's him. It's a start."

"But where does he have him at?" Hutch flipped through the file some more. "Where is his dealer we arrested, Gomez? I'll get him to tell me!" Hutch said as he slammed the file down and went to leave the office.

"Hutchinson, you go down there, you better be calm. Strictly by the book. YOU HEAR ME!" Dobey shouted.

"Yeah, I hear you Captain. But I promise you this, he will tell me where Starsky is!" Hutch left slamming the door shut behind him. His adrenalin rushing. The captain reached for the phone.

"Gomez!" Officer Thompson yelled out.

Jose Gomez approached the jail door slowly. He was hand cuffed and lead down the hall to the interrogation room. Thompson sat him in a chair then left the room. Thompson stood at the door staring at Hutchinson as he was coming down the hall. Thompson was aware of what has happened to Starsky. He also knows the way that these two detectives questioned suspects. They at times, like to play the old, good cop bad cop routine, and every now and then, a good game of ping pong. This time there was no games, Hutch meant business. Hutch looked at him and they meet eyes, there was no words between them, just a small nod was all it took. Thompson opened the door for him, closed it, then stood in front of it with his arms crossed, no one was going in there until Hutch was done.

Jose Gomez sat in the chair staring at the detective. Hutch walked around the table and stood looking down at the prisoner. Gomez could see the blue eyes burning into his. Hutch rubbed his hands together, he walked around Gomez's chair slowly. Every instinct in him wanted to reach out and choke the answer that he wanted out of the man, but he remained calm. _For Starskys' sake, by the books_.

"Your going to tell me where my partner is, and I don't care how I'm going to get it out of you, but you will tell me." he said in a low and deadly voice. Hutch placed his fists on the table and stared down into the man's eyes.

"I don't know what your talking about. I have no one. I take no one," Gomez said in a shaky voice, looking up at Hutch. He knew from being arrested by Detective Hutchinson and his partner, that Hutchinson was someone that he did not want to come cross alone, but here he was, alone in a small room with him, and this man had a cold and dangerous look about him.

"You know a man named Manuel Rojas. You work for him, so you know where my partner is!"

"Se` I worked for Rojas, but I take no one. I been here, in jail, so I take no one."

Hutch grabbed a chair and flung it across the room, it broke into a couple pieces. Gomez inhaled deeply with the sudden panic that he felt.

"You know, and I know you know, so no games. Where is he!" he demanded.

"I know nothing about this. I just sell drugs, nothing else."

Hutch pounded his fists on the table in front of him. "Tell Me!" Hutch yelled at the man. His headache started to explode. His ears started to ring and he was at the point that he could barely focus on the man in front of him. "You tell me where Starsky is... Now!"

"I don't know. Rojas has a boat, maybe he took him there," the words were out before he could think about what he just said.

"Where?" Hutch now paced the room, like a bulldog ready to latch onto a throat. Gomez was now a alarmed.

"He has a boat at pier 3, and warehouse on the same docks."

"Name of the boat."

Gomez looked up at Hutch.

"Name!" Hutch pounded his fists again.

"La Rosa," he told him.

Hutch turned and pounded on the door to leave. Thompson opened the door to let Hutch out. He looked at Gomez sitting in the chair wide eyed. He walked in the room to the broken chair and picked up the pieces. Thompson said nothing to the man, just stared at him. He saw beads of sweat running down the Mexican's face. The man was truly rattled by the encounter with the detective.

Gomez sat there trying to catch his breath, thinking about what had just happened. He knew he was now in real trouble. In just a matter of minutes he had caved in and gave out Rojas location. He would now be a mark, inside jail or out. Rojas would get to him. He just sealed his fate by giving into a raged cop. Thompson returned to escort him back to his holding cell. He was to be handed over to D.E.A. agents. But it didn't matter , jailed in the U.S. or Mexico, Rojas would find him, he was now a dead man.

Hutch rushed back up to Dobey's office. Dobey looked surprised that Hutch was back so soon. "Captain, you got a couple Asprine?" he asked pinching the bridge of his nose. His headache trying to blur his vision some.

"Sure. Your back so soon. Everything Ok?" handing him a couple pills.

"Yeah.. I need a warrant for Rojas' arrest. I got a name of a boat out at pier 3. I need to get on that boat," Hutch said as he downed the pills with water.

"I'm already ahead of you. I got a judge to sign it while you were downstairs. Take Simmons and Babcock with you," he said as he handed him the papers. Hutch was out the door again.

Dobey yelled out through the adjoining office door to Simmons and Babcock, "Follow him out to pier 3. And don't come back without Starsky!" he yelled to they pointing a fist at them. The pair was again trying to keep up with Hutch's long legs.

It was already late in the afternoon and the traffic was heavy. Even with the lights and sirens on, it seemed to take forever for Hutch to get to the docks. He drove down the piers until he was at pier 3. He parked and was out the door when Simmons drove up next to him. They quickly walked up the pier. Looking at the names of the vessels in the slips. They finely came across the "La Rosa". The 60 plus foot yacht was impressive. _Has drug lord written all over it_. He could see that there was two people on it. "Police! Hands up!," he yelled up to them as he boarded the craft with his gun drawn. They threw up their hands and stood motionless.

"Rojas, where is he?" he demanded. The two men looked at each other, "Not here Senor," one of them said. It was all he got from them. "Simmons watch these two. Babcock take the top," Hutch ordered out as he took the stairs below.

"Starsky!" Hutch yelled out, but there was no answer. Nothing. No one was aboard except the two men on deck. Hutch looked through a desk that was in the main stateroom. He found a photo of a warehouse, a white mansion on a tropical island, "must be his main house," Hutch said to himself. He found a photo of a cabin and couple pictures of what looked like the wife and daughter. "A family man, wonder if they know who this bastard really is?" he said softly. He glanced through the photos again, he recognized the warehouse. They had just past it on the way down the pier. The picture of the cabin didn't register to him, he took both pictures, and headed back up to the main deck.

"Simmons, Babcock, lets go," he yelled out to the two men. "He's not here. Lets check out the warehouse on the docks. We past it on the way here." he said as he handed Babcock the photo of it and put the other in his shirt pocket. The detectives got in their cars, and turned around towards the row of buildings.

_This has to be where your at, Starsk_. Hutch pulled to the side of the building. Again Simmons pulled up next to Hutch's dilapidated tan car. The building looked deserted. Hutch pulled the side door opened. He sucked in a lung full of stale air. His heart sank. Empty.

"OH GOD! WHERE ARE YOU STARSKY?" Hutch yelled out in anger. He dropped his head, feeling defeated. "Damn Starsk, please, you've got to help me out here," he said softly with a lump in his throat. The words full of despair. His heart breaking, his world was crashing around him. He was starting to fall apart.

Babcock walked up behind Hutch and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find him Hutch," he said softly to the distraught man. Hutch turned and stood looking at the two men. They too were at a loss. "We're running in circles. I thought I had this figured out," he said in a soft voice to them, trying not to let them see that he was falling to pieces.

"Hutch what can we do?" Babcock asked. He then realized that Hutch had the other photo in his pocket. "What's the other picture of?" he asked.

"Just some old cabin somewhere," he said as he pulled out of his shirt pocket and handed it to him, then walked off. He closed his eyes, and asked to the image of Starsky in his head, _Where? Where do I go to find you? _In the distant a loud clap of thunder sounded. The storm was headed their way. Again the cold chill ran through him. _The storm. Your in the storm? But where?_

"Hutch we can try looking for this place. Maybe out near one of the lakes north from here. Hutch, are you alright?" Babcock asked.

Hutch took the picture back from Babcock and looked at it.

"Hutch, it's the last place to go on. Maybe he's there. We have to try." Babcock said trying to be sympathetic to Hutch's feelings for his partner.

"You think that I've given up! Is that what you think? He's my partner. I'll never give up until he's found!" He snapped back. The adrenalin and emotional rollercoaster colliding.

"We're running out of time. He's hurt and cold," he said as he turned around and headed out to the cars. The two men looked at each other, shrugged and followed him out.

The wind had picked up with the approaching storm. The corn silken strains of Hutch's long hair blew around his face. He stood next to the car looking out towards the storm. The other two detectives got in their car and left for the precinct, leaving Hutch standing where he was. It was the best thing they could do at this point, leave him to think it out, and he would, just given time. They also knew that Starsky may not have any time left, and they too were upset about that. Just Hutch was emotionally connected to his partner, deeper then most partners. They hated to leave him in the state he was in, but Hutch would sooner or later reach out for help, just now wasn't that time.

Hutch got in his car and went to turn the ignition of the car. The decaying car protested with a rattle and a click, "Don't do this to me, not now." He pleaded with it. Again he tried, this time it gave in and turned over with a groan. He got the car rolling. Deciding not to chance it leaving him stranded, he headed back to Starsky's apartment.

Starsky felt what strength he had left, drifting away in the cold water. The water wasn't cold enough to numb the pain in his joints, and the pain was unbearable. He wanted so badly to close his eyes and sleep it away. Suddenly the lights came on without warning, blinding him, and again the water started to flow.

'_Oh Shit... not this again. Why is this happenin_'? Blinking trying to adjust to the light.

'_Ohgod...Hutch, I hurt so bad. I can't take much more of this_.' He could do nothing to help himself. He tried to keep his mind on his golden haired friend. Keep his mind off the pain, but that was difficult. He'd scream if he could. The water that was now running in the tub is colder then what he was laying in, and it started to take his breath away as it slowly ran down his shoulder. He would just have to wait for Hutch to put the clues together.

Hutch was always good at putting the puzzle together. "The brains of the outfit," Hutch would say. His friend and partner, the quiet type, was always thinking. This is what made him a great cop. He loved him for the thoughtfulness that he would put towards whatever he did, especially when it came to their relationship. His compassionate partner was the one that was always wearing his heart on his sleeve. Hutch would put him before himself, and he loved him for that. He loved Hutch more then his own brother. Nicky was connected by blood, but Hutch by love and devotion. _Come on Blondie, you know what to do. Please, just do it and get here._

The water was now over his belly and ever so slowly rising up his chest. He couldn't prop himself up anymore. There was nothing more he could do. His eyes felt heavy. _Just a short nap, wouldn't hurt._ He closed his eyes, slowed his breathing down and drifted off. He would dream of Hutch coming to his rescue. His White Knight. Hutch wouldn't let him down, he would come, he would be there soon to save him.

It was dark and rain was coming down when Hutch arrived at Starsky's place. He eased the tired car up next to the Torino. He got out and went quickly around to the drivers side of the red car. He found his key to it and got in. It felt a little strange being in the driver's seat, this was Starsky's car. It had Starsky's smell, leather and a soft aroma of sandalwood. With the emotions running high, he slowly brushed his hand around the steering wheel. This time the tears slowly came. _Ohgod… Starsk_. He slumped back into the leather seat and stared up at the roof of the car. His heart breaking. Here he sat in his beloved friend's car, alone again. Again looking for Starsky. _This has to stop. I can't keep having my heart ripped up like this. Starsk, I'm lost without you here._

He never really realized how much he emotionally needed his friend's presents to soothe him emotionally. It was something that he didn't allow anyone else to see, his vulnerability for needing someone emotionally. Only Starsky was allowed into his heart and soul. Early at the Academy, Starsky had simply climbed over that wall that he erected to protect himself from getting hurt, and some how knew how to heal him and keep him safe from the emotional ugliness that life could deal out. He's been there ever sense, intertwined in his heart and soul. He needed the touch of his friend right now, he craved it. He needed to feel grounded, and Starsky was the only one who was able to bring his world back on it's axis. Right now, it was spinning out of control.

_Come on Hutchinson… pull yourself together_. He leaned forward, turned on the police radio, and put the key in the ignition and turned it. The car roared to life. He was just as much familiar to the low, deep throated rumbling of the Torino, and the feel of the motor reverberating through the metal of the heavy car, as he was with his own car. With the amount of time that he has spent in it, days, weeks, months, it added up to years. He wouldn't have it any other way, if it meant that Starsky was happy, and he usually was when it came down to his driving skills. Starsky has put the car through it's paces to numerous times to count. In the end thou, the bad guy was brought down and Starsky had a big grin on his face. That's what always made Hutch smile and love him even more, his partner was happy. He sat there, not sure where to go. He stared at the rain that was pelting the windshield, then closed his eyes, the pain in his head pounding in rhythm with his heart.

"Babcock, Simmons… where the hell is Hutchinson and Starsky?" Dobey yelled at them as they entered the quad room. "Didn't you find him? I thought that Hutch had this figured out.

"He wasn't at the yacht or the warehouse that Rojas owns Captain. We left Hutch down at the docks and came back here. He has a photo of a cabin that he found on the boat. I think it might be another place to look. Captain…Hutch... he's about to go over the edge. He's looking pretty bad. We don't know what to do for him." Simmons told him.

"No one can do anything for him right now. Not until Starsky is found. What photo are you talking about?"

"Hutch found a photo of a cabin on the boat. Must be some place that Rojas owns. I got a glance of it but Hutch took it back. Might be out at the lakes someplace, not sure Captain."

"I'll go down and see what I can find out about it from Gomez. You two get on to the report. Do what you can for now.," the captain ordered before he headed down to holding.

"Captain, any news about Starsky yet?" Minnie asked as the captain rounded the corner.

"Nothing yet. Hutch is still looking, may have another possibility."

"I'm sure Hutch is going out of him mind right now. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Go down to R and I and see what you can dig up on the real estate holdings for Manuel Rojas, out of Mexico. Some place local maybe. I'm going down to holding. I'll be up shortly.

"Sure Captain, anything that gets Starsky back safe and sound," she said, glad to be of some help.

"Thompson... get me Gomez," the captain ordered.

"Yes sir." Thompson walked down the row of holding cells and stopped at the one that Gomez was sitting in. "Up! Get over here." Thompson yelled at the man.

Gomez looked at him puzzled. He did as he was told, and walked to the door, was handcuffed again, and lead down the hall to the interrogating room. Dobey was waiting there for him when he was escorted into the room. Thompson left him there seated at the table. He couldn't remember how long ago it was, that he last saw the captain down there to interrogate someone. He knew this was related to Starsky's disappearance, and Gomez was the clue.

"You work for Rojas."

"Se`," he replied looking at the large black man standing above him.

"You know where he stays in the U.S."

"I told other cop about boat and the warehouse."

"Yes, but where else?" Dobey demanded, keeping his voice low and steady. Keeping his anger in check. "You know of a house somewhere? A cabin maybe?"

"I have seen photo of a house. It was on his boat. I don't know where."

"You must have heard him talk about it," he said as he walked around the table.

"Se`... he said it was broken up. No one live there for a long time. I don't know where it is," said as he kept an eye on the large man.

"Is it here in California?" Dobey asked trying to narrow the search down.

"Se`. Here in California."

"And you don't know where?" trying not to let his temper get the best of him.

"No. I never been there. I hear them talk. Two men on the boat. They say it is about two hour drive, maybe by a lake. I don't know where."

The only lake he knew of that was two hours drive was Pine Lake. His own cabin up there. He knocked on the door, Thompson opened the door and stood aside to let the captain pass.

Minnie was standing at the captain's office door when he got back.

"What have you got for me?"

"Seems that Rojas bought a place in his wife's name about two months back. Up off Cedar Road at Pine Lake."

"Cedar Road is about two miles up from my place. Thanks Minnie." he said as he entered his office.

"Dispatch, get me Zebra 3."

"Dispatch to Zebra 3."

Hutch was still sitting in the car at Starsky's place when the call came through. The rain pounding on the roof of the car was echoing inside of his head. The Asprine he took earlier was not doing much for his headache. He reached for the mike.

"Yeah… What do you want?" he said sorely, not wanting to be disturbed.

"Hutch, it's Dobey."

"Go ahead Captain." he said with eyes closed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his free hand.

"I may know where that cabin is located."

"How do you know about that Captain?" he said suddenly sitting up straight.

"Simmons…I talked to Gomez. Seems Rojas bought it about two months back, up at Pine Lake, off Cedar Road. That's two miles past my place."

"I'm on it Captain."

"Hutch, I'll send back up. I'll call County up there and let them know that your coming."

"Captain, he's my partner. I'll find him myself."

"You keep me posted Hutchinson! Are you listening to me!"

"I hear you. I'll let you know." With that, Hutch tossed the mike aside and through the car in reverse. His heart beating faster, the adrenalin came rushing back. As an athlete he knows about the adrenaline high, it could bring on an addiction for the natural high, and at times he craved it, working out or even times on the job. Now was not one of those times. Now it was mixed with anxiety. He was tired and the roller coaster just seemed to keep going.

_This game is going to come to an end_, he told himself, as he weaved his way up Canyon Road and out of town. The storm pounding at the car. Driving was slow. The city lights darkening behind him, and nothing but dark highway and storm in front of him.

Starsky was barely conscious when another loud clap of lightning hit near the house. The bolt of lightning tore though a nearby tree, sending bark flying, hitting the window and the side of the house. He opened his eyes only to have the light blur his vision. The water was now up to his chin. The icy water was tugging at him towards unconsciousness. He closed his eyes. The pull to darkness was to much for him.

_I'm so sorry Hutch. I tried. For you I tried. I tried to hang on buddy. You're my best friend, please know that… I love you_. A small emotional tear ran down his cheek. With that thought he let the dark world start to draw him in. He knew that the pain would soon end. He could hear the storm slowly fade away into the background. Then the image of Terry was there in the darkening space.

_It'll be ok. I'm here, looking over you. Everything will be fine_. Her soft voice reassuring him. Before she died in his arms, she promised to always be there. _"When you need me. When your scared. When your world seems like it's falling apart or just some dark night when your all alone, you just close your eyes, I'll always be there and try to remember me. I'll be there waiting…I promise."_ She kept her promise. He felt as if he could reach out and touch her. Just having her there was comforting. He thought back to Hutch "_I love you Hutch_." Then… unconscious darkness folded over him.

Hutch suddenly felt as if something horrible was wrong. He felt a sudden void, an emptiness in his heart. "Starsky…don't you leave me, DAMN IT! YOU HEAR ME! I'm on my way," he yelled out loud. Hutch drove as fast as the storm would allow him. With the rain pounding the windshield, and the roads washed with pools of water. He finally got to the turn onto Pine Lake Drive. The dirt road was now nothing but mud. He was now glad that he had traded cars. The LTD would never be able to handle this mess.

"Come on. You've got to make it through this," he begged the car. He threw the car into low and slowly made his way. He could see that here and there the edges of the road was washed away. He felt the rear end of the car slid out from under him a couple times as the car slid in the mud. His nerves were gone with the worry about his friend, but now having to drive in this mess, well… he just wouldn't, but for the love of his friend, he would do what ever it takes to save him, and a muddy, washed out road , wasn't going to stop him.

The car slowly made it's way up the narrow path. He passed the right turn that would have taken him to Dobey's cabin. Cedar Road would be two miles up. Hutch suddenly stopped the car. Ahead was a small wooden bridge over a rain swollen creek. The headlights shinned at the wooden beams. _Starsky is on the other side of that_. He held his breath and inched the heavy car over the wooden boards. He could see the water lapping at the bottom of the boards. As slowly as he could, he made his way across, he felt the car dip here and there as the boards gave in to the weight of the car, but they held together. Finally coming to the far side, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked ahead only to see that about twenty feet of the road was gone. Most of the dirt was gone in the washout and nothing but rocks were left. _Could it get any worse_? _Alright Hutchinson… we're going to get through this mess. _He gripped the steering wheel harder, turning his knuckles white. Slowly he maneuvered the car over the washout. The tires spinning every now and then as they tried to grip something solid, but he was able coax the car up and over the edge to where the dirt road was still in place. Remembering to breath, he took in a deep breath and let up a little on his grip.

"Almost there." he told the car.

Up to this point he had not seen a house, just the lake to the right that was surrounded by trees. The road suddenly forked off. Through the pouring rain he saw a wooden sign that showed that Cedar Road was to the left. He eased the car to the left and up the road.

The road was heavily treed on both sides. The wind from the storm was blowing leaves, pine needles and rain at the car. He bumped along the road, the tires hitting potholes and washouts. As he came to a bend in the road the headlights reflected off window panes. He slowed the car to a stop, reached up to the overhead light and turned it on. He pulled the photo out. This was the place.

The cabin was small and looked deserted and rundown. He pulled the car up the short drive and parked off to the right, behind a small shed. He turned the engine off and sat for a second looking out the driver's side window. The place was dark, no lights on, looked as if no-one had been there for a very long time. He opened the glove compartment for the flashlight.

He pulled his gun and opened the door. The wind and rain hit him in the face. There was also the faint smell of burnt wood in the air. He shined the light on the pine tree in front of him. He could see fresh wood exposed from where the bolt of lightning struck it and the bark exploded off the trunk and large limbs. The ground was littered with the remnants of the blast. He approached the back of the lodging. With his back to the wall, he reached over and tried the door knob. He found the back door unlocked. He slowly pushed it open. He entered the back of the room with gun in one hand and flashlight in the other.

"Starsky!" he yelled out. There was no answer. Shining the light around, there was no sign of anyone there. He crossed the room to a door that opened up to a bedroom. There was a large iron bed up against the far wall. He then walked to the door to the bathroom. He stood in the doorway shinning the light around the room. There was a large, deep, cast iron tub on the wall under a large window.

A noise came from behind him. He spun and crouched down. Slowly he left the doorway and moved out to the main room. He shined the light around. There was no-one there, but the door he entered in had banged against the wall. He went over and shut it, holstering the Magnum as he went.

The silence of the house disturbed him. The only noise was from the storm outside. He wiped the water from his face. Just something wasn't right. He walked back to the bathroom door. Again, he scanned the room with the light. He then took a long stride in the room. He shined the light on the tub. The light caught the edge of the dark water.

_OHGOD! _There, nearly completely submerged in the water was his beloved friend. Starsky laid there, his head slightly tilted forward. The water level was just at his face. Hutch's heart jumped to his throat and he felt like he was kicked in the chest, his breath left him. _I'm to late_! His world stopped_._ He stood there in shook. The room tilted and tried to upend to the left as the blood rushed away from his head.

He dropped the light, then reached down into the cold water, one arm behind Starsky's neck and shoulder, and the other under his knees, and tenderly raised his friend's lifeless body out of the chilled water. He ever so gently laid him down on the floor. He dropped to his knees next to him. He reached behind Starsky's head and removed the gag. He gently rolled him over on to his side to remove the binding, but found that they were phone line. He grabbed the flashlight off the floor and looked in the vanity next to him, and found scissors. He cut the wire and gently pulled the offending wire from his wrists and ankles, leaving large red welts and open sores. He threw the wire across the room.

"I'm so sorry…I.. I'm so very sorry," he said choking on the words. Tears burning his eyes. He ran his trembling hand across Starsky's forehead. His long fingers brushing wet curls from his face. Uncontrollable sobs started to rock his whole body. He grabbed up Starsky into his arms and cradled him against his chest, he slowly rocked back and forth. The woeful wails began to fill the room. He held onto him tightly as his world dropped out from under him. The darkness around him enveloped his world.

"Ohgod…please don't do this to me. Ohgod Starsk…please!" he cried and begged out loud. The tears streaming down his face. Everything around him lost in the black fabric of time.

He laid him back down, softly he placed one hand on his friend's chest, and the other hand tentatively stroking his head. The distraught detective bowed his head next to his friend's, his brow touching the ebony curls of his friend. "I love you buddy," he whispered through the tears. The three little words that Hutch couldn't remember the last time saying them out loud to his friend, but they both knew that they didn't have to vocalize them to know that they loved each other. The power of those three words bonded their hearts and spirits together.

Suddenly he felt a soft rise and fall of a shallow breath. Stunned, he put his ear to his chest. A heart beat, slow, but a heart beat.

"Oh Dear God…your alive! Come on buddy, come back to me." he begged as the tears continued. "Come on…breathe for me again." He asked with excitement in his voice. He was rewarded with another shallow breath. Now his mind instantly went into overdrive. _Ok... I've got to get you warmed up_. He grabbed the flashlight, jumped to his feet and franticly he looked around for towels, blanket, anything to cover him with. He ran to the bed and pulled the bedspread off it. He quickly went back and laid it out next to Starsky. He then gently picked him up and placed him on the spread. "I'm going to get you warmed up buddy." He pulled Starsky's wet pajama bottoms off, knowing that the wet material would just cool him more, he tossed them aside. He gently wrapped him up in the covers. Reaching down under him, he picked him up and carefully carried him to the bed.

"It's ok. I'm here. Your safe now. Come on Starsk, open your eyes and look at me," he said softly pleading for him to respond. He cradled Starsky's face in his hands, his thumb softly caressing his left check. Even in the darkness, with only the light from the flashlight that still lay on the bathroom floor, he could see the large red gash on his right check. He turned and quickly went to get the light.

He got back to the side of the bed and shined the light on his face. The cut ran from his temple to the middle of his cheek, it was slightly opened, _looks like a knife wound_. He moved the bedspread away slightly to look at the open wounds on his wrists and ankles. They were swollen and oozing blood and fluids from where the wire cut into them. Torn on what to do, warm him up or stop the bleeding, he leaned over close to Starsky's ear, "I'll be right back buddy, I have to go to the car." He paused, reluctant to leave, he wrapped the blanket back around him, then raced out the back door into the pouring rain to the car. He opened the passenger side door, then rummaged through the glove compartment for the first aid kit. He rushed back.

He went back to Starsky, fumbling to open the kit and to find something to cover the cuts. He found gauze and tape, it would have to do. With trembling hands, he bandaged up the cut on Starsky's cheek, then turned his attention to the open sores on his wrists and ankles. He carefully wrapped gauze around them as well. There wasn't much more that he could do.

Starsky's skin was ghostly white, his lips blue. The cold water had dropped his body temperature dangerously low. Hutch placed his hand on Starsky's chest, "Your so cold, I've got to get you help, but we're stuck out here," he said in frustration, thinking of the washed out road. He stood there thinking, his mind running a marathon. He looked around trying to figure out how to warm him up. He thought of his short time in medical school before becoming a cop, and what he was taught about hyperthermia. Under these circumstances, he couldn't think of any way to warm him up except with his own body heat, that, he learned in the Sea Scouts when he was growing up.

He quickly removed his soaked jacket and holster. He hung the holster on the bed rail next to him. He removed his wet long sleeved shirt, then the wet tee shirt, dropping them to the floor. Then the shoes and damp pants. At this point what ever it took. Even if it meant him in only his briefs and socks.

He opened the covers from Starsky, then he carefully with one hand under his head and the other under his back, he lifted him up enough to slide up on the bed behind him. His long legs on either side of his friend. He lowered Starsky back onto his chest and then cocooned the two of them in the bedspread. Leaning over his friend, Hutch started to rub Starsky's arms and chest trying to get the circulation going again. His check lightly touching wet curls. "We're going to get through this. You just have to come back to me. Please Starsk…just come back to me," he whispered in his friends ear.

Starsky drifted in the dark world. There was no time, no worries, no pain, just drifting. Terry was again there. "_Time for me to go." _Her sweet smile touching his heart. _Please stay, _he begged_. _Then as quickly as she was there, she was gone. Then off in the distant he heard a voice. At first it was far away, but now getting closer. He was drawn to it. It was familiar, soft, and soothing. He needed to get closer. He needed to hear the voice. He had to get to it, but the closer he got thou, the pain started. He hesitated. If he got closer, the pain would be there, but the need for the voice was more important. The sound was soft and mesmerizing. The voice would make the pain go away. He pushed forward through the darkness, ever so closer.

"Come on Starsk, It's going to be ok. I'm here and your safe. We'll make it, just make your way back. Come back to me. I…I love you babe," Hutch softly said. Slowly caressing and massaging his friend's chest. Slowly warming the chilled flesh that laid in his arms.

The storm outside was slowly moving on. The wind ever so slowly dying down, leaving behind a soft rhythm of rain on the window pane. The room was dark except for the soft beam of the flashlight. With Starsky safe in his arms, Hutch took a deep breath and eased his emotions back down to a controllable level. The roller coaster was slowing down. He was able to breathe a little easier. The headache backing off from behind his eyes. The adrenalin level slowly subsiding. Nothing mattered now, nothing but getting Starsky warm and conscious. He had found him and they were again together and safe at the moment.

Starsky gave out a soft moan. "That's it buddy, come on. It's going to be alright. Your safe now. I'll take care of you. Come on, open your eyes for me. I need you to look at me."

The world of pain came rushing back. _Ohgod Hutch, it hurts so bad. I'm so cold. _Starsky yelled out in his head. He thought again about turning back to the dark world, back to find Terry. There… the pain was gone, but getting back to Hutch was overwhelming. He moved closer to his voice, the voice asking him to come back, only because it was Hutch asking. Because Hutch held his heart and soul. He slowly opened his eyes. He felt himself wrapped up in Hutch's embrace, he long, lean body holding him close, cradling him. His body radiating warmth against his own chilled flesh.

"Hay… there you are. Your going to alright," a sigh of relief escaped Hutch.

"…'old," Starsky said, his voice cracked. His teeth started to chatter.

"I know buddy. I've got you. I'm going to get you warmed up… I promise. It's just going to take a little bit of time." Hutch could feel Starsky starting to shiver violently.

"Oghh…'utch!" Starsky softly cried out, as he started to warm up, the pain increased. "Hard…br.. breathe," He reached up and grasped onto Hutch's right arm. He looked up, desperate for Hutch to do something to make the pain stop. "Sscared." The pain and emotions of coming close to death came rushing back, the tears started to flow.

"Aw Starsk…I'm here now... I know your hurting. There's just nothing more I can do to help. It's just going to take time," he said softly as he tenderly wiped the tears off the brunette's cheek. Himself on the edge of tears that threatened to escape. It was breaking his heart to sit there while his friend was in agony, and there was nothing more that he could do but hold him, and hold on tightly he did.

Starsky tried to curl up more into Hutch's grasp, his chest hurt and his knees shot red hot pain up to his hips and back, plus he had a stabbing pain in his left shoulder from the old bullet wound from the restaurant shooting. The cold water and having his arms tied behind him, had aggravated it. He was very stiff, but the need for the warmth from Hutch pulled at him. He needed to get closer. He turn slightly onto his right side, never letting up his grip from Hutch's arm.

"Come on now, try to relax. Just lay here and let me warm you up. Your going to be ok," He said softly trying to reassure him. He continued the slow caressing up and down Starsky's arms, chest and now his back. His own back starting to hurt from bending over, but he pushed the pain aside. His friend was more important then his own discomfort.

A couple hours slowly went by. The shivering subsided and the teeth chattering also quiet. Starsky now laid quietly in his arms asleep. He finally gave into the pain of his own back and leaned back against the headboard, slightly pulling Starsky with him. Starsky stirred but never releasing his hold on Hutch. The connection between them was back. The simple act of holding his friend was enough to heal his heart. He felt whole again. With the rain playing a soft melody on the window, Hutch slowly lowered his eyelids and let himself drift, only half asleep and half conscious of his surroundings, ever so vigilant to protect them if needed. The roller coaster ride was coming to a slow halt.

A short time later Starsky shifted in Hutch's lap. Hutch glanced down at him.

"Shh…babe… it's alright"

Suddenly without warning the lights from the bathroom came on startling him. His heart jumped. Instinctively he reached for the Magnum. Deciding to check the place out, he moved the covers off, and he carefully slid out from under Starsky.

"…goin'?" Starsky asked still half asleep.

"Lights came on. I'll be back in a second. You just sleep," he said as he rewrapped him in the blankets. Starsky looked up with heavy eyes at him.

"It's alright. I'll be right back," Hutch reassured him with a soft pat on the head.

Hutch picked up the flashlight and with gun in hand, he looked in the bathroom, then moved to the main living area. There was a couch and chair sitting in front of a small fireplace, and across the room was a large kitchen area. It reminded him a lot like Dobey's cabin, but slightly bigger.

The air in the cabin was cold and still, with the smell of old, aged wood. He grabbed a throw from the back of the chair, dusted it off and finding no one there, he walked back to the bedroom and into the bath. The water was running in the tub. He went over to it. The memory of seeing his friend laying in it came rushing back. Angry… he reached and turned the water off and raised the drain plug. He stood there looking down at it. This could have been Starsky's coffin if he had not gotten there when he did. The emotions flooded him again. He closed his eyes tightly, swallowed hard, pushing the emotions down, he turned back to the room. He turned off the light. In the dark, he went to the bed and holstered the gun and laid the dimming flashlight down on the nightstand. There, his best friend in the world lay sleeping, alive. He looked down at him, then ran his hand through Starsky's semi-moist black curls.

Hutch opened the blanket from Starsky and sat down next to him. Starsky was laying slightly on his right side when he felt the bed give as Hutch sat down on the bed next to him. He could feel the soft caress of Hutch's long fingers on his scalp. The familiar touch was soothing. This was one of those times when he craved the touch, needed it. The cold replaced with warmth, all because he has a friend and partner that loves him and would always be there for him.

Starsky rolled over more onto his right side and onto Hutch's lap, his right hand automatically gripping the back of Hutch's left knee, then throwing his left arm over Hutch's waist. He rested his head on Hutch's chest. The sound of his heart beat coaxed him into slumber. Hutch threw the small blanket over the top of the two of them, then grabbed the edges of the bed spread and threw them on top. He again cocooned the two of them in the spreads. Enveloped in his warmth, the two huddled together in the warmth of their friendship. They both drifted off into the darkness of the night. Hutch again only drifted on the edge of slumber.

Morning light broke through the small window of the bedroom. Starsky shifted a little. Hutch opened his eyes, glancing down, Starsky looked up at him. His sapphire blue eyes darker then normal.

"Hi," Starsky softly said, barely a whisper, all the while trying to keep his eyes open.

"Hi yourself," Hutch replied with a smile.

"Where?" He coughed out the question while trying to inhale deeply. His chest burning, and his lungs protesting a deep breath.

"Pine Lake" Hutch placed his hand on Starsky's brow checking for a chill or a fever.

"You feel a little warm. A slight fever. You feel ok?"

"'k. Nice to see you Blondie," he said looking up at him now with only one eye open.

"Nice to see you too," he said with a soft caress of his hand down Starsky's left cheek. "I put bandages on those cuts of yours. I need to see if they quit bleeding. Think you can move over some so I can get up?"

"Sure," Starsky said as he slowly and painfully rolled over onto his back. Inhaling deeply.

"Hutch?"

"Yeah buddy?," he asked as he got off the bed.

"Problem."

"What is it ? You in pain?" a rush of anxiety hitting him. He bent over to examine his friend. He now could see that there was bruising on the left side of his friend's chest and hip that he didn't see in the dark the night before. The red, black, and blue hues spreading over his left side down to his hip. A large deep, sickly purple, green and black circle covered most of the hip. Now he was alarmed. He could have broken ribs and hip. Trying to keep his voice calm. "You breathing ok this morning?"

"Naked?" looking at Hutch with a questioning look on his face. Years ago their modesty went out the door when it came to each other. To many times they've had to tend to the other's injuries, some in places that would make most men squirm in the presents of another man. In Hutch's case, was the withdrawals from a forced heroin addiction from a couple of street scum named Monk and Forest. Starsky stayed at his side through the whole mortifying event. Now, Starsky was just a little curious about why he laid there in his birthday suit, and Hutch not in to much more then himself.

"Oh… yeah… well I had to get you warmed up and having wet pajamas on was just going to make you colder, so I pulled them off." running a hand through his blond hair.

Starsky thought that over, and it made since. The heaviness of his eyelids trying to close his eyes again.

"I'll go out to the car and pull the extra set of clothes out of the trunk for you."

"'k" he said as Hutch threw the blankets back over him. Hutch then walked over to where his own clothes laid on the floor.

"I'll be right back," he said pulling his cold, damp, shirts over his head and glancing over to Starsky, who had closed his eyes again. He finished dressing. Between the rain and the cold night air, his clothes felt like he had dipped them in a frozen lake. He would make do. His partner nearly died, he could deal with a little damp clothes. He pulled the gun, then left for the car.

The morning sun shined through the limbs of the large pine tree. The storm from the night before had really did some damage to it and to the surrounding trees. The ground was littered with leaves and limbs. He glanced at the car. It was cover with leaves, pine needles and lots and lots of mud as well.

_Starsky is really going to kill me for this_, he sighed, cringing at the thought.

He walked over to the rear of the car to retrieve the clothes. He knew that Starsky left a bag of clothes in the trunk for emergency. He rummaged through it. He then went to the front of the car to put in a call to Dobey to let him know that he had found Starsky.

"County… this is Detective Sergeant Hutchinson from Bay City."

"Go ahead Detective. Been waiting to hear from you. Your Captain has been calling about you."

"Thanks County. Can you patch me through to Bay City from your system?"

"Sure can. Please hold."

"This is Bay City Dispatch," Hutch heard them say.

"Dispatch… Zebra 3 to Dobey."

"Dobey here. Hutch did you find him?"

"Yeah Captain, I've got him. They did a real number on him, may have some broken ribs and maybe a hip. But he's safe with me."

"Thank God. You had us all worried last night. With the storm and all."

"Had myself worried. We may be a while getting back. The road is a washout to get out of here. I'm going to try and drive him into town to see if they have a doctor up here, but the roads are pretty messed up. Any word on Rojas?"

"I put Simmons and Babcock on him this morning. Now that Starsky is safe with you, I'll put more men on Rojas. Hopefully he won't show up out there."

"Just let him. This game is over!" Hutch said with anger in his voice.

"You just get that partner of yours to the doctor, and let me know about your return, understood?"

"I will. Captain, give Huggy a call and let him know that Starsky is safe."

"Will do. Good job Hutchinson. Now just make your way back here as soon as you can."

"Yes Sir," with that said Hutch returned to the cabin. He walked back into the bedroom. Starsky was asleep again. He holstered the gun, he then reached over and laid his hand on Starsky's brow again. Definitely a fever. He hoped that the ribs weren't broken and causing the fever.

"Hey pal, think you can wake up for me?" He softly asked while brushing curls off Starsky's forehead.

"Hmm?"

"I brought your clothes for you. I need to look at those cuts, so I need you to wake up for me."

"Hi Blondie," he said still groggy but with a smile.

"Good morning. Now lets look at those cuts. I'll try not to hurt you," he said, slowly and carefully pulling back the tape and bandage away from the cut on his face. "Hey…that hurts you know." Starsky's eyes watering from the pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying not to hurt you buddy." The cut had oozed a little, but looked better. He moved the blankets aside and worked at the right wrist. The swelling was down, but it had bled a good bit. He grabbed the first aid kit and rewrapped it. The left one looked ok, the swelling down and no bleeding. He then turned his attention to Starsky's ankles. The right ankle still swelled and bled out and was very red. It was also warm to the touch, may have an infection trying to start in it. The left one also bled but not as bad, the swelling was down. He rewrapped both, being extra careful with the right one.

"Listen Starsk, looks like you got an infection starting in your right ankle." He said, then looked over the bruising on his left side and hip. "Your bruised pretty bad here," trying to hide the worry in his voice.

"Yeah… got kicked a few times."

Hutch's stomach suddenly turned and he sucked down a deep breath, the thought that his friend was tortured made his chest contract. All the emotions that he had pushed down…tried to hide from himself…now hit him like a brick. He dropped to his knees next to the bed. _Damn it. _"Starsk.. I.. I'm sorry that I.. I wasn't there. Maybe they wouldn't have done this to you," He softly said as he cupped Starsky's face in his hand. A tear ran down the blonds' face, the raw emotions now at the surface threating to over take him. He looked Starsky in the eyes, "I…I thought you were d…dead," his own blue eyes darker now with emotions. Now the tears running freely.

Starsky looked at his intensely emotional friend. The slight stammer was there, so he knew that Hutch was hurting over the whole event, and somehow feels responsible. Hutch was the master of self loathing, and taking responsibility for anything that would hurt his beloved friend.

"Listen to me, it's ok. It's not your fault. You hear me? If you were there, they would have done the same, if not worse to you. Please…I'll be ok," he softly told him as he reached out, wiping the tears away, then taking Hutch's hand, trying to soothe his emotional pain through touch.

Hutch was always the one with a big heart, and took things to personally when it came to their friendship. Hutch bowed his head. Starsky reached up and ran his fingers through the long golden strands of hair, it was as familiar as it was reassuring. He grabbed the back of his neck then slowly pulled him closer. Hutch folded into his embrace and laid his head down on Starsky's chest, reached over him and hugged him. Starsky continued to run his fingers through the flaxen locks. "We're going to be ok," he whispered to him. They provided a level of comfort to each other that no one else was privileged, simply an extraordinary friendship. Hutch laid there embracing him for a couple minutes, emotionally drained.

"How 'bout, lets work on getting me in some clothes, 'k?" Starsky softly asked, and with a slight loving tug of hair.

Hutch looked at him. "Ok…then to town. Hopefully they have a doctor there," Hutch said knowing that the emotional crisis was now over, he stood up.

"Alright. Maybe find something for my stomach. Hurts."

"It may be because you haven't had anything in it for a couple days. The doc first, then food." He then realized that the last time he ate was Sunday evening.

"Hutch… you know the guys at work would have a field day with us if they saw us now."

"And I'd give you a big kiss just to seal the deal," puckering at him. "Your not the first curly brunet I've gone to bed with."

"I don't mind sharing a bed with a leggy, pretty blond, but your aftershave is just not my turn on."

"And you've got just a little more chest hair then I like my dates to have," the light bantering made him smile. He didn't care at this point what anyone would say about them. Starsky was alive and back with him safe and sound, and that's all that mattered.

With Hutch's help, he sat up in bed. A slight wave of dizziness hit him. The two of them slowly wrestled to get a shirt on him. "Ohgg… it hurts," he yelled out as he lifted his left arm up. He didn't know what hurt more, the shoulder or the ribs.

"I'm sorry. I…I'm trying not to hurt you any more," his voice braking slightly.

"It's ok," giving Hutch a slight squeeze on the back of the neck. "Lets get those jeans on," he said as he swung his legs off the edge of the bed. He went to put weight on his feet and the pain went shooting up his legs. He grabbed Hutch for support.

"Ohgod Hutch, this hurts," he gasped for air as he fought a bout of vertigo.

"I know. Please… just hold on to me." It's not the first time that he has helped dressed his friend and won't be the last. They each have done whatever it took to care for the other, no boundary lines. Starsky leaned onto him as Hutch bent over to get a pair of boxer shorts carefully pulled up. Taking care of the ankles, came the jeans up his legs. How Starsky could get into those tight fitting jeans always surprised him.

"Hutch?" Starsky questioned as he inhaled deeply as the jeans ran up over the bruising on his hip. Leaving them unbuttoned and unzipped to keep some pressure off the swelling and bruising. Just a bit too tight under the circumstances. He looked back down at what he wearing.

"Yeah buddy?"

"These look like the clothes, that were in the duffle bag, that's in the trunk of my car," he stated as he sat clumsily back down on the bed, trying to catch his breath. The room twirled slightly.

_Ok Hutchinson, here we go. Can't get around this one. He going to find out soon enough, _Hutch said chastising himself. "

Clearing his throat. "They are. I got them out of the trunk of your car,"

"You mean to tell me, you drove the Torino up here? To Pine Lake? In a storm?"

"Had to. Mine was acting up, so I parked it and drove yours. At the time I was more worried about finding you." He knew he was going to get an ear full a soon as he saw the car.

"You know, if you would just let Earl take a look at that heap of yours."

"Hey, you should be grateful I got up here as fast as I did to find you."

"I am. My White Knight saved the day, but you could have rode your own horse, if you'd just take care of it, or better yet, trade it for a healthy one."

"Well this knight was more concerned about saving the damsel in distress. Think you can walk for me?" he quickly asked trying to change the subject, and while he put his holster and jacket on. He handed him the now dead flashlight and first aid kit. He went into the bath to retrieve the pajama bottoms, came back and handed Starsky those as well.

"Sure. I'll give it a try," Starsky said as Hutch helped him again to his feet. Hutch carefully grabbed him around the waist, being mindful of the bruising. He tried to help keep some of the weight off his feet. Slowly they made their way to the back door.

"You want me to carry you to the car? There's a lot of trash from the storm on the ground, and you without shoes."

"No. I think I can make it. Just take it slow will ya?" he said catching his breath.

Hutch grabbed hold of Starsky's waist and arm and carefully lead him out. Starsky leaned into Hutch's side and held onto Hutch's arm as they walked. He kept an eye on the ground, being careful of where he placed his feet. Gasping every now and then as he stepped on something sharp. He then look up. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"MY CAR!… LOOK AT MY CAR!… Hutchinson!" Starsky was stunned. He grabbed harder onto Hutch's arm. " What did you do! My wax job. Your going to fix this Kenneth Richard Hutchinson."

_Here we go_. _He's pissed, used the full name_, Hutch thought to himself, couldn't remember the last time Starsky even called him by his first name, more less his whole name.

"Starsky, it's not as bad as it looks."

"NOT AS BAD AS IT LOOKS! Are you looking at it!" He yelled out, pointing at the mess in front of them. He then stumbled forward. Hutch grabbed him before he fell to the ground.

"Starsky please calm down, or your going to hurt yourself even more."

"CALM DOWM! Hutchinson, you better hope that there's not any scratches under all that mud, buddy boy."

"Starsky, I'll wash it as soon as we get back. Right now I'm more concerned about getting you to the doctor, to get you checked out. The car can wait. Please Starsk… just a little bit further. Ok?"

"Fine, but your going to clean this mess up," he said as he looked up at Hutch, giving him a look that went right through him. This was his baby and he had messed it up. He wasn't going to be able to live this one down for a while.

Hutch grabbed him by the waist again and slowly they made their way to the passenger side of the car. Starsky mumbled something under his breath as he dropped down into the seat, but Hutch didn't catch what was said. Must of had to do with the car. He wasn't going to ask. He quickly went around to the driver's side and got in. He glanced over to his pouting friend.

"I'm really sorry about the car, but I was more worried about you. I promise, I'll clean it up when we get back"

"Alright, but just as soon as we get back. You promise."

"I promise. As good as new," Hutch said as he turned the key and the car came to life. He put it in reverse, and slowly backed out of the drive. When they got to the road, Starsky saw how bad the road was.

"I can't believe that you got through this mess."

"Well, you should have seen it in the storm. This car of yours did everything that was asked of it. It saved you too." Hutch continued up Cedar Road to the turn off onto Bleeker Road and into town. The going was slow, but with daylight, it was easier to trudge through the muddy road. He glanced over at Starsky who had a death grip on the armrest.

"Town is just up the road a little further. You alright?"

"I'd be better if you weren't trying to hit every rut in the road," he said as he grabbed hold of his left side.

"Starsk…I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances. Town is just around the corner. A few more minutes."

They made it into town, not soon enough for Starsky, who was holding his side and out of breath. Hutch pulled up in front of Ward's General Store. "I'll be right back. You ok?" reaching over and giving his leg a soft squeeze.

"Just need to catch my breath, hurts," he said breathing to quick for Hutch's liking.

"Just try to calm down some, slow breaths." Hutch jumped out the car, and quickly went inside.

"Good morning." Ruth Tice called out from the back of the store. "Well hello, Hutch is it, from Bay City?" she said as she came to the front of the store.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Well, what brings you up here? Doing more fishing?"

"Well actually I need to talk to your husband, and see if you have a doctor in town.

"Joe is across the street in his office and Dr. Taylor's office is also at City Hall. I hope that everything is ok," she said with concern.

"Just ran into some trouble, but things are better now. Thank you." Hutch turned to walk out when Lizzy Tice walked in.

"Hello, Detective Hutchinson."

"Hello, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine. It's been a year or so since we last saw you. I saw your partner sitting in that red car of yours. He looks a bit peaked. I hope that he'll be alright."

"Everything will be fine, just need to get him to see the doctor."

"You two staying up here for a while? That storm last night was real bad. The roads are a bit of a mess ." Lizzy mentioned.

"Well, I'm not sure right now. You ladies have a nice day," Hutch walked out and went back to the driver's side of the car.

"Sheriff Tice and the doctor are over at City Hall. You doing alright?"

"I saw Lizzy Tice. She's growing into a fine young lady," he said trying to avoid the question, shifting in his seat.

Hutch looked at him. He knew that he was hurting and didn't want to let on just how much. "Yes she is," he replied with a concerned look. He started the car and drove across the street to City Hall and parked so that the passenger side was up next to the sidewalk.

"You sit still, I'll go get some help."

"Hutch I can…"

"I know you can, but please for me, just wait for me to help," cutting him off before he could say any more. He gave him a pat on his leg, then got out the car and went inside to find help.

"Detective Hutchinson. What brings you up this way?" Sheriff Tice asked as he offered a hand.

"Well my partner is in a bit of trouble, I need to talk to you, but first we need to get a doctor for him." At that time Dr. Taylor walked around the corner of the hallway.

"Hey Doc, we need your help. Dr. Taylor this Detective Ken Hutchinson from Bay City. He and his partner were the ones that help rescue Lizzy just over a year back."

"Well I'm glad to meet you. I heard what you did for us. How can I help you boys today?" The doc offered his hand.

"My partner is out in the car. He's in pretty bad shape. You have an office?" Hutch asked as he shook the man's hand.

"Just down the hall here. We don't look like much of a town, but I've got a lot of the latest equipment there is. Have to, with a hospital so far away," he said as they walked out to the car.

Starsky opened the door as Hutch approached.

"I see that you brought the calvery with you." he said as he looked up at Hutch.

"Starsky, this is Dr. Taylor."

"Hi."

"I see that you need me to look you over. Let me help you up."

"I can get him, thanks." Hutch said in a protactive voice.

"Careful now," Hutch said holding out an arm for Starsky. As Starsky turned in the seat to get out, he reached up and took Hutch's arm and pulled himself up.

"Hutch!" he gasped softly, looking up at him.

"I know buddy. I've got you, just lean into me like we did earlier."

Slowly they made their way to the door. Sheriff Tice held the door open for the men. The doctor followed behind to lend a hand if needed.

"My office in the back, down the hall. Sure you can make it?" he asked while he walked past to show them the way and to get the door opened.

"A little further Starsk."

Starsky hesitated and looked up at him. Hutch noticed that the color in his face was gone. "You need to stop? It's just a little further."

"No, Slow," he said trying to catch his breath.

"Ok. Just take all the time you need."

At a slow pace they made their way down the hall and around the corner to the doctor's office. The doctor was holding the door open for them. "Through those doors is the examining room," he directed.

They walked past the doctor to the next set of doors. Sheriff Tice was holding the doors open for them. Hutch stopped at the examining table and helped Starsky up on to it. Starsky laid back, out of breath.

"Room spinning," he said trying to catch his breath. He reached up for Hutch's arm to help stabilize the teetering room.

Hutch stood next to him, staring down at him, holding onto his arm and with a hand on his shoulder, trying to help with the vertigo.

The doctor looked at the cut on his face. "This doesn't look too bad. I'll close it up with some butterfly bandages," he said as he found antibacterial cream and the dressing.

"He's been beat up pretty bad. May have a couple broken ribs," Hutch stated without leaving eye contact from Starsky.

"Lets get these cloths off you if we can."

Hutch raised an eyebrow at Starsky, then both looked at the doctor, knowing what it took to get them on him, but also knew that he'd have to come out of them to get examined.

"Slow please," Starsky said inhaling deeply, as Hutch helped him to sit up, then they slowly and carefully removed his shirt.

_I'm sorry buddy_, Hutch said silently to him with a look. Starsky gave him a small smile, just enough to let him know that he got the message. Starsky laid back so that they could peel the jeans off. Again a quick exchange of eye contact and Hutch carefully pulled the pants down, leaving the boxers. Starsky laid there, his breath gone. The doctor watching the two men silently working together with nothing said but silent eye gestures.

Starsky was pale from the exertion. "Come on Starsk… stay with me," he said softly to him.

The doctor pulled the instrument tray over and began to cut the bandages off his ankles and wrists.

"Hutchinson, lets go to my office and talk while Doc here works," Tice said.

"No, I need to stay and help. He'll be more comfortable with me here," Hutch looked over at him. Bay City's Memorial Hospital was familiar with the two detectives, having visited the E.R. on many occasions. Here they don't know them and how they work together when one or the other is hurt or sick. Here, the doctor and sheriff was a little taken aback by them.

"Alright, but I'll need to get a statement from you about this," he said as he looked at the bruising and cuts. He also realized from the look on Hutch's face, that Hutch wasn't about to leave his partner.

"You can call our captain, Dobey, in Bay City, for some of the details of the case."

"Just come by my office when your done here." The sheriff turned and walked out the room, leaving Hutch and the doctor to tend to Starsky.

Both Hutch and Starsky gave the doctor a quick detail of the events, from the beating at the apartment, to that morning. Again Hutch felt sick while listening to Starsky tell what occurred. He looked away to the floor a couple times. Starsky noticing, reached over and squeezed Hutch's arm, and raised an eye brow to him. A silent message that it wasn't his fault, and that he would be ok. Doctor Taylor took notice of the exchange.

Dr. Taylor looked over the bruising on his hip and chest.

"We need x-rays to see if anything is broken. Those cuts will heal up nicely with just some antibiotic cream, they're not to deep, with exception of that right ankle. It's going to take longer, it's pretty deep. Your running a slight fever from the exposure to the cold water for a long length of time, may take a couple days for your body temp to stabilize. I'm going to give you some antibiotics just in case it's from something else. Your joints are going to be stiff for a couple days. Right now lets get those x-rays," he said as he motioned to Hutch to leave.

"I'll be just outside the door," Hutch gave his arm a squeeze.

"I'll just be a few minutes, I'll call you back in."

Hutch stepped outside the examining room door and paced the floor of the doctor's office. His mind never leaving his partner. After all the years and visits to hospitals and doctor offices, it's still nerve racking for him to have to wait and hear the news about his friend's injury or illness. With what seemed to Hutch like hours, thirty minutes later, the doctor opened the door.

"You can come back in."

Hutch didn't have to be told twice. His long stride covered the floor quickly and he was back to Starsky's side.

"Nothing broken in his hip, just deep muscle bruising. It's going to be painful for a few days. He does have a couple cracked ribs. We'll wrap a presure bandage around his chest to keep him from moving to much. They'll need time to heal."

"So you didn't find anything major wrong," Hutch asked as the doctor pulled out the bandage.

"It's going to take some time, but he'll be fine. He'll be up and around in a couple days or so. He wont be out on the streets for a while, he'll need time for those ribs to heal," he said as he started to apply the presure wrap. Starsky held on to Hutch as he leaned forward while the wrap went around his chest. Starsky inhaled deeply as the wrap tighten it's grip on his ribs. Hutch made eye contact with him, a silent reassuring.

"I'm going to give you some pain pills for those ribs and your joints. They may make you a little sleepy thou."

"Thanks," Starsky said gasping for air.

"Lets first get you dressed again."

Starsky looked up at Hutch, again with a slight look of concern.

_I know. I'll be gentle, _Hutch told him with his eyes, and a small smile. The doctor watching the silent conversation between the partners.

Hutch again got him dressed and into a chair as the doctor stood back and watched. He was amazed at how well these two worked together, without a word between them, only a look now and then. He knew of a couple psychologist that would have a field day with these two. They have a connection that he just couldn't put his finger on. Something unique.

"How long have you two be partners?" He asked while handing Starsky a couple of pain pills along with an antibiotic, and cup of water. Starsky down the pills without putting to much thought into it.

"We went to the academy together and then got partnered up early, so about nine years now," Hutch answered as Starsky handed him the cup of water and he took a sip.

The doctor just smiled. He didn't know to many men who were close like these two. Even family members didn't get along as well as these two do.

"Doc, how 'bout food, stomach hurts," Starsky asked, while looking up at Hutch.

"When is the last time you ate?"

"We last ate Sunday evening," Hutch answered for him.

"I don't see why you can't, but just small meals right now. Nothing greasy or full of fats. You need soups and fluids right now with the fever that you have. You don't want to upset your stomach any more then what it is now. No alcohol for a couple days.

Hutch smiled at Starsky, "healthy food pal… no junk food." Starsky sat pouting, he knew the doctor was right, but he also was wanting a burrito or fries with chili. With Hutch mother-henning him, that was going to be out of the question for the next day or so.

"Alright… something light," he said giving in, seeing a smile come across on Hutch's face.

The doctor handed Hutch the antibiotic cream, a bottle of pain pills and some antibiotics. He slipped them in his jacket pocket.

"First we need to stop by the sheriff's office and talk to Tice, then food. Think you can walk for me?" Hutch asked as he offered a hand to help him up. Starsky looked up at him, took in as much air as the wrap would allow and stood up, holding on to Hutch as the red hot swords of pain ran up his legs.

"Just take your time, I'm here. Thanks Doc for everything."

"Remember, light meals and plenty of rest for the next couple of days. Those pain killers you just took, may knock you out, but they'll help with the fever and stiffness. You need some help?" he offered as he held the door open for the two men.

"No thank you, I've got him. Thanks again," Hutch had a good grip around his waist and tried to carry most of the brunet's weight.

The two slowly stroled down the hall to the Sheriff Tice's office. Starsky found a chair and slowly sat down with Hutch's help.

"I see that the Doc got you patched up. You boys sure have seen some trouble the last couple of days. I called your captain. He filled me in with what happened down in the city. This Rojas character is slick. The old Hanson place as been up for sale for years now. Then we get a call that someone wanted to buy it. Had us go out and get the power back on and the well working just last week. No one thought that anything like this would ever happon out there. Have you got any I.D. of who could have done this?"

"No, not really it was in the middle of the night. I got a glance of one of them, a tall ugly lookin' Mexican. Didn't get a look at the other two very well. Then I woke up at the cabin in the tub, with the water running, tied up. Noone else out there. Luckly Hutch figured out the clues quick enough, or I'd been drowned," he smiled up at Hutch.

"I'm going to round up Hank Ward and go out there, and see what we can come up with in the way of evidence that will help. I'll send whatever we find down to Bay City."

"Thanks Sheriff," Hutch said.

"Hey Joe, who owns this mess of a car out here?" Ward yelled out as he entered the building. He walked in the office and saw the two detectives there. Starsky shoot Hutch a look. Hutch looked away and found a spot on the floor to stare at momentarily.

"That must be your car out there. Haven't seen you boys here in a while. How you doing?"

"Starsky was kidnapped Sunday night and held out at the old Hanson place," Tice told him.

"You look pretty bad there. Doc fix you up alright?" Hank asked looking over Starsky's face.

"Yeah… he'll be alright," Hutch answered him, looking up from the floor. Then glancing back at his partner.

"Hope you boys plan on staying a couple days. May take us some time to get the roads cleaned up. I've got a crew out now working on them, but might be tomorrow or the next day before we get to Pine Lake Drive and out to the highway finished," Ward told them.

"We can put you up at the apartments up the street. There's a couple furnished rooms on the main floor that should suit you just fine. Linda at the Café can cook up just about whatever you want for meals," Tice offered.

"Thanks. I don't think that I want to push trying to get out to Dobey's cabin, there's a pretty big washout near the bridge," Hutch told them.

"The boys drove their 4x4 out on Pine Lake Drive earlier. You were lucky to make it here in that car of yours," Ward told them.

"Well, it's got power and speed under the hood. Can out maneuver, and run down anyone on the run," Strasky said defending his choice of vehicle.

"Come on Ward, lets drive out to the Hanson place. You boys make yourself at home. We'll see you this afternoon. If we come up with something we'll let you know," Tice said as he handed Hutch a room key. "It's the front apartment of the building."

"Again, thanks Sheriff. I need to make a call to our captain then we'll be at the apartment." Hutch said as he reached for the phone.

Tice and Ward walked out to their trucks. Starsky shifted in the chair.

"I'll get you more comfortable in just a minute. Let me call Doby. Again sorry about the car," he said softly to him.

"Dobey please," he said into the reciever.

"Dobey here."

"Captain, it's Hutch."

"You two make any progress up there?"

"I've got us in town and Starsky to the doctor. He's got a couple cracked ribs and a fever. Looks like it'll be a couple days before we make it out of here. They're working on the roads now, but slow going. How's thing down there? Any word on Rojas?"

"We've got DEA and FBI agents fighting over him. They're all helping to locate him. We've got half the crew out on him. Simmons and Babcock are staked out at his yacht. You two sure did stir up a hornet's nest when you arrested Gomez."

"Well Captain, we were just doing our job, getting scum off the streets. The sheriff and deputy are going out to the cabin now to see what they can come up with in the way of evidence. They'll send down whatever they come up with.

"Good. You can stay out at my place if needed."

"Thanks Captain, but the road is washed out near the old bridge. They're putting us up at the apartments here in town."

"Tell that partner of yours to get better, and the two of you get your butts back in town soon."

"I will Captain." Hutch layed the receiver back down.

"You ready? I'll get you in bed then get us some food."

"Hutch?"

"Yea pal?" Hutch offered a hand to help him up.

"I think I need to eat first. Those pills I took are putting me to sleep, so lets stop by the diner first." he said as he got up from the chair. "If I go to bed now I wont wake up to eat."

"Alright, now take it easy, slow. I'll run over to the general store and get you a pair of sneekers. I don't know why you don't have any in the trunk of your car."

"I used them the other week after the run through the water fountain chasin' that purse snatcher, 'member? I never got 'round to putting them back in the car."

"Oooh that's right. You took the short cut through it, and may I say it was a spectaculer nab."

"Thank you. You weren't so bad yourself Ollie, with that flying superman grab. We both went for an afternoon swim that day."

"Dobey's still mopping up water off his office floor, after our visit with him afterwards."

"He didn't seem to pleased with us about that, but hey… we got our man."

"Right Starsk, and all for twelve dollars."

"But the lady was smilln' when we gave her her purse back. And partner, that's why we're cops."

" Detective Sergeant First Class, Starsk."

"That too."

He got Starsky in the car and Hutch drove across the street to the Café. "Wait here for a minute. I'll be back with your shoes."

Neither men took notice of a large black Ford 4x4 truck that past them and turned the corner. It went down the adjoining street and turned around to face the main street.

Hutch walked in the store for the shoes. Ruth greeted him.

"I see your back. What can I help you with?"

"I just need a pair of sneakers for Starsky for now, thank you."

"Sure, right over here. You two staying in town?"

"Yes, we're staying at the apartments for the next couple days until the roads are passable."

"You two take care of yourselves and if there is anything you need just let us know."

Hutch found the right size, paid for them, then went back to the car. He helped Starsky into the shoes. They then went inside for a small meal. Soup and crackers for Starsky, and a turkey sandwich for Hutch. They finished their meal and Hutch got him back in the car, and up the street to Reed Apartments. Starsky was a bit drowsy by now.

"Come on Starsk, lets get you to bed," he told him as he helped him out of the car, and grabbed him tight as his friend swayed forward.

"Blintz?" he had an odd smile on his face. One like he had a few to many beers, or in this case, pain pills.

"What is it buddy?" Hutch steered him to the front of the building, opening the door, all the while trying to keep Starsky upright and trying not to hurt him. "Buddy, your going to have to help me out here a little and stay on your feet."

"Did I tell you lhately that I apprecinate havin' ya as my bwestest frwend?" he slurred. The pain pills were working a good job on him. "You're my bwest pal," his crooked smile even more crooked.

"Yes… you're my best friend also. Right now we need to get you to bed." he propped Starsky up against the wall, held him in place with one hand and arm and quickly opened the door to the room with the other. There was a large bed in the back of the room in a corner. A couch with an end table and coffee table, and a chair was facing a TV and the bed. There was also a small kitchenet.

Starsky stumbled forward. Hutch grabbed him around his waist tighter. "Oh no you don't. Your not going to take a nose dive here. Just a couple more steps, then to sleep." Hutch got him to the bed and laid down. He pulled off his shoes and covered him with a blanket. He sat down next to him. He laid his hand across Starsky's forehead to check for the fever again. Still there. Hopefully it will come down with the medication and a nap. He sat there staring down at the curly haired man. Starsky looked up at him, his eyelids drooping. No words needed. The connection was back and intact. Pure love and affection. Hutch smiled down at him as Starsky closed his eyes.

The afternoon slowly went by. Hutch stretched out on the couch reading magazines, mostly of cabin life and hiking, and keeping a watchful eye on his friend. Starsky slept.

"HUTCH…HUUUUTCH!" Starsky screamed out, raising himself up and halfway off of the bed. Hutch was up and at his side in an instant. He sat down on the bed next to him, and eased him back down onto the bed.

"I'm here. Whats the matter?" he asked as he caressed his arm and rubbed his chest, trying to soothe him from whatever nightmare that had a hold of him.

"Dream. I was drownin'," Starsky panted out as sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Your alright. It's over now. Try to calm down," softly reassuring him. Hutch grabbed a towel off the night stand next to the bed and dabbed the sweat off his face. He again checked for fever. This time he was rewarded with a cooler feeling. Starsky's tempature had come down, but he also remembered what the doctor him, that his body tempature would fluxuate some. But he was happy for now that the fever had broke.

"Hutch, it felt so real," catching his breath.

"It was just a dream. Your safe now."

"How long have I been sleeping?" his heart beat slowing down some.

Hutch looked over at the clock on the wall. "It's 2p.m., so about 3 hours. Those pills that the doc gave you realy did a job on you. Helped bring your fever down some. How do you feel?"

"Still hard to breathe and my legs still hurts. My stomach is empty also."

"You still have the presure bandage on, so it's going to be a little hard to catch your breath. The doctor told you that the stiffness in your legs was going to take some time to heal. I'll walk down to the café and get you some more broth and crackers."

"Come on Blondie, real food please. Something tasty," looking up for some sympathy.

"Starsky… you know what the doctor told you, light food, maybe a tomato sandwich." Starsky gave him a sad childish look. The look that a kid gives, who's mom just told him 'no' for the millionth time.

"Now don't look at me like that, I'm not going to cave in. You'll eat what the doc ordered. Just for a couple days, Ok?" Hutch raised a brow at him.

"Fine, but tomarrow I get what I want. Maybe a burger and chile' cheese fries."

"You think your stomach hurts now, just wait till you introduce it to all that junk tomorrow. Starsk, you're not well. The doctor told you to take things slow and that includes your stomach. I'll be right back. I'll go get you food and more bandages for your ankle." Hutch got up from the bed.

"Hey, I need to use the John." Starsky said looking around.

"Ok, it's on the other side of the wall by the door. Come on Gordo," Hutch helped him to sit up.

Starsky went to stand up, again his joints screamed and his ankle felt on fire. He inhaled deeply and pulled on Hutch's shirt.

"Hutch…hurts still."

"I know babe. It's going to take time. Just give yourself time to heal. It's only been a few hours, Starsky." Hutch helped him into the bathroom.

"You need me to help?"

"No. I can get it myself," he said as he put a hand on the wall behind the toilet for support, and the other on the vanity top. Hutch stepped out the door and closed it slightly, giving him some privacy. "Hutch… could you get me some jogging pants? Something that wont be so tight on my hip. It really hurts. "

Hutch smiled to himself. "Sure, I'll check to see what they have." Not often that he sees him in something other than those crummy tightassed jeans that look like they were painted on.

Starsky got done with nature, washed up and turned to walk out by himself. He stumbled forward. "Oomph" was all Hutch heard from the other side of the door. He rushed in. Starsky was down on his knees reaching up for help.

"Hutch…help."

"I gotcha buddy. Why didn't you call me?" he gathered him up off the floor, and got him to his feet.

"I thought that I could do it myself," he coughed out of breath, holding onto his left side.

"Lets get you back to bed."

"No… couch?"

"Alright I'll get you comfortable there."

They made it to the couch, Starsky plopped down, trying to suck in a deep breath, the wrap around his chest preventing it. Hutch adjusted the pillows as Starsky stretched out.

"Alright now, you settled in?" Hutch asked adjusting the cushions one last time.

"Yep, 'm ok. Hutch? Hay, maybe a candy bar?" thinking of his stomach again. He pleaded with sad puppy dog eyes. Hutch didn't buy it.

"Starsky… no. Why do we go through this every time you get sick? Please, for me, just for once, do what the doctor told you."

"Fine!" he sat there with his arms folded across his chest. The mom just said 'no' for the millionth and one time. Hutch stood there looking at his pouting friend. He could be so much like a kid sometimes. He wanted to give in, wanted to please him, but also knew what the doctor told him. It was 'tough love' right now, and it was toughest on Hutch.

Not wanting to leave his partner, wanting to keep a vigilant eye over him, Hutch reluctantly turned towards the door. Then the cop in him came out, stopping him in his tracks. "Here, you hold onto this," he said turning and unholstering the .357 magnum.

"Hutch, I'm ok. Your just going down the street. I don't think I'll have any problems, 'cept boredom," he said looking up at the blond cop.

"There's magazines right here on the table next to you. Look, Rojas is still out there on the loose. Just in case their out there looking for you. Remember, I did steal back their prize. They may be a little pissed that the game didn't go as planned."

"Sooo, I was a prize?"

"Well, yes…and buddy, you're my booby prize, and I got stuck with you for life," running a hand through those black curls. "Starsk, these guys play for keeps. Killing a cop is just another notch in their belt," holding the small cannon out to him with a raised brow.

Starsky took the gun from him and tucked it in the pillows at his side.

"What'dya say, maybe a book or car magazine?" eyeing the nature magazines.

"Sure, I'll see what they have." Hutch gave him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, and walked to the door, locking it and closing it behind him.

The men in the black truck watched Hutch as he left the building and walked up the street. The driver started the engine and slowly moved the truck up in front of the Torino. The three occupants slowly stepped out the vehicle, making sure that the blond cop was first inside the café.

One of the men looked in through the window and nodded to the tall Mexican standing next to him. They entered the building, the third, older man followed behind.

Hutch walked into the café and sniffed the air. "Something sure smells good."

"It's one of my secrit recipes. Trout with a light marinade." Linda said to him with a smile and offered him a taste over the counter. Hutch took the fork and tasted the morsal.

"Wow. Now that is good."

"Would you like a plate?" Linda asked with a smile.

"I would need it to go. I also would like a tomato sandwich if you've got one."

"Sure. I grow my own tomatos. Fresh off the vine." she reached over to the box behind her and handed him one to look over.

"A lady after my own heart. I'll be right back to pick those up. I need to run over to the store for a couple things."

"I'll have them ready for you."

"Thank you."

Hutch walked out the diner and glanced over at the apartment building. He took notice of the truck parked directly in front of the Torino. He walked into the store, stopping at the door, glancing back over his shoulder.

"I see that your back. What can I help you with?" Ruth asked the tall cop.

Hutch ran his hand through his hair and down his face. "You know anyone that owns a large black Ford truck?" the detective asked curiously.

"Sure, there's a couple of the locals that own black trucks, Kevin Owens owns one and so does Todd Gates. Why is there a problem?" Ruth asked, while hanging some fishing gear on the peg board behind the counter.

"Oh, I don't think so. Just that there's one parked over at the apartments."

"It may be Kevin. He does some maintainance over there. May have had a problem from the storm last night. Is there anything in particular that you needed?" she asked politly.

Hutch walked to the shelf that had some pants folded up neatly on it. "I'm looking for running paints or sweats." One pair for Starsky and one for himself. _May as well get comfortable._ "Starsky was also asking for some reading material."

"I have some sweat pants around the corner over here," she pointed out to him, walking to the far side of the room. "The only magazines I have are at the counter. Field and Stream, Hunter's Paradise, Cabin Life, Popular Mechanics, a few western books, Readers Digest and couple paperbacks. Help youself to whatever you need."

"Thanks. I'm also going to need some bandages if you've got some." His mind back on Starsky's needs, pushing the thought of trouble to the back of his mind, but not to far.

He looked over the choices of pants, found a couple pairs that would do. Then he walked back up to the counter for reading material. The last thing he needs is a bored Starsky. The thought reminded him of to many long stakeouts with him. Starsky would get bored and start whining. They would end up playing some game, I spy, Truth or Dare, or some card game. All that would entertain him for a short time, then the whining would start all over again. He feels like he's living a life with an adult 10 year old, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He loves him for who he is, a brilliant, street-savvy cop mixed with an over grown kid.

Starsky sat staring at the blank TV screen, then glanced at the outdoor magazines. Pondering which to do, bore himself with the hiking magazine that Hutch was engrossed in or try to get across the short distance to turn the TV on. _Not much of a choice there._ He propped himself up and was about to slide across the couch when the door burst open. The two Mexicans entered the room, with guns drawn. Starsky got sight of the two guns pointed at him and instinctively reached across his chest for his gun, but remembering his was home. He recognized the tall Mexican as one of the guys that took him from his apartment. They scanned the room. Then the two stepped aside for the older Mexican to enter the apartment.

"Don't try it pig," the taller man snarled at him. "How's that cut ?" he motioned his finger down his own check, and with sinister smile on his face.

"I owe you one," Starsky warned him in a low, deadly voice, and with a look that warned the man that it was also a promise.

Starsky settled back down on the couch. Thanking Hutch for his insight, the .357 at his side, safely out of sight and pointed in the right direction. His mind went to Hutch. "_Hutch get your ass back here, right now!" _he mentaly sent out the S.O.S. He raised his arms as best as he could, "I'm not armed."

"You have cost me a lot of money and time Mr. Hutchinson," the old man hissed out, as he crossed the room never leaving eye contact. The two other men followed behind like a couple of obedient servants.

"Starsky…. I'm Starsky, not Hutchinson," he corrected him.

"Mr. Starsky. I am Rojas. You have caused me to halt my business to find you again. I don't like having my dealings interrupted like this. Think of the surprise when my inside man found out that you were found. You and your partner have tried my paitents. But you have surprised me. The game didn't quite go as I expected. I have you again, and this time there won't be any more mistakes. The move is now checkmate, you are dead." The old man pulled a small caliper gun out from under his windbreaker. _The inside man? _Thought the detective.

"You see," Starsky enlightened him, "You started a game with the wrong players. You choose the wrong pawns for your game, and we don't always play the game by the rules. Hutch and me, we don't like it when someone messes with us. You started playin' something that you're not goin' to finish," he coldly said while still working out in his head how he was going to get the situation more to his advantage. _Hutch get here NOW_! the S.O.S. sent again.

Hutch laid the pants down on the counter and thumbed threw the magazines that were laying there. He found one of the Field and Stream magazines that had a large article on 4x4 trucks. Along with the latest Popular Mechanics, they would have to do. Ruth walked around behind the counter with a couple rolls of bandages and tape for him. Suddenly Hutch stood staring out into space. The sudden feeling of alarm went through him. His heart started beating faster. That feeling was back, Starsky needed him.

"Hutch you alright?" Ruth asked staring at the blond detective. "Anything else you need?"

Hutch turned, walked to the door, and again looked out the door towards the apartments. "You sure you recognize that truck?"

This time Ruth went around the counter and stepped out to see the vihical.

"No, that's not Kevin's. His has a roll bar with lights in the back of it. I don't know whose that one belongs to. Haven't seen it before."

"Call your husband, and get him to the apartments now." Remembering Starsky has his gun, "Do you have a gun?" Turning back inside.

"Is there trouble?" she asked as she walked back around the counter to retrieve her pistol.

"The gun, please."

Ruth reached under the counter top and pulled out a semi-automatic and an extra clip, and handed it to him. Hutch checked it for rounds. Ruth handed him a box of shells. He quickly loaded it, and the clip. He dropped the extra clip in his jacket pocket, and the gun in the back of his waistband. Now he had to figure out how to get in there without getting Starsky or himself killed. _I'm on my way buddy. _He mentally sent back a reply.

"Call your husband," he repeated to her.

"I don't understand. Is there trouble with your partner at the apartments?" she was now concerned and curious as to what was going on, and how Hutch knew that there was trouble.

"I don't have time to explain. Please, the call?" nodding towards the phone, he then stepped out the door.

"Get up, lets go! We're going to finish the game that was started. You see your slightly out numbered and the other player in the game isn't around to help you," Rojas ordered, waving the pistol at him. The tall Mexican shot off a round into the ceiling. Plaster came falling down on the detective.

Starsky knew that he was slightly out numbered, and also knew that if he was to leave, he would be dead this time. _Ok Hutch… I hope that you get here fast, 'cause here it goes._ Starsky leaned forward as to get up. As he placed his right hand on the seat custion and he reached down under the pillow with his left and pulled the hammer back on the Magnum, the pillow muffled the noise. In one quick action he raised the gun, and pulled the trigger as he rolled off the couch, hitting the floor with a loud thud and landing hard on his injured hip, and chest. The tall Mexican went flying backwards as the force of the bullet entered his chest. _The promise kept_. The other man fired a round at Starsky but it only grazed the coffee table, sending splinters of wood at Starsky, hitting him in the face. Starsky rolled, leveling off the gun again. He pulled off a second shot from the small cannon. The second bullet hitting it's mark in the man. He too went down just as quickly. Rojas was able to get a shot off, hitting on the floor near Starsky . "Hold it cop, the next one will be in you." Now it was a stand off, between the cop and the cop killer. Rojas took a step forward.

"DON'T MOVE!" You just stand right there!" Starsky coughed out at him, the pain in his chest screamed at him. He could feel blood running down his forehead. Keeping the gun pointed at his target, he slowly got to his knees. He sat back on his haunches. The pain was so intense that he could feel the blood drain from his head. He could hear ringing in his ears. He knew that if Hutch didn't get there soon, that he would probably pass out. The room was pivoting back and forth. His heart beating wildly in his chest, thou the adrenalin was helping some to keep things in check. The two men stared down each other.

As Hutch walked out the door he heard the familiar roar of the powerful weapon being fired. The roar was unmistakable. There was also a couple smaller shots, but it was his .357 that he recognized. He raced up the street to the apartment building. His back to the wall, he opened the door. The gun Ruth gave him ready. He got to the apartment door that was opened, his heart pounding. He did a quick peek in to assess the situation. Starsky was on the floor in obvious distress, pointing his gun at the older gentle man. He recognized the other man from the file as Rojas, and in turn Rojas was pointing a hand gun at his partner. He stood, back to the wall, gun raised.

"Starsky!" he yelled out to his partner. The tone of Hutch's voice was more of a statement then a question. Years together and the tone of his voice was all Starsky needed to hear to know what was coming next. On a two count Hutch pivoted left into the room. As he did, Rojas turned the gun on him and fired a shoot at Hutch. The bullet hitting him in the right arm. He hit the floor and rolled, raising the gun again. Both detectives pulled the trigger of their guns simultaneously, both pulls were deadly. Rojas went down next to his men.

"HUTCH!… Hutch?" Starsky yelled out, as he immediately fell forward to the floor, and was unable to see his partner with the couch between them. The room teetered and was about to fold onto it's self.

"I'm Ok." He raised to his feet, gripping his right arm. He went over to the three men laid out on the floor, checking for signs of life. There was none. He picked up the weapons that laid amongst the three deceased men.

"Starsk… you alright?" he went to his partner. He put the guns that he picked up down on the coffee table. He picked up his own weapon that he had left in Starsky's care, from the floor and holstered it. Starsky looked up at him, his face pale and bleeding. "Come on buddy let me get you up off the floor." Hutch pulled him up with his right arm, all the while trying to keep it from bleeding with his left hand. With great effort, he got him back onto the couch and laid out.

"Hutch, your bleedin'. Your hit." The words barely over a whisper. He tried to reach up to get a better look at the wound, his own right arm wrapped around his chest. His chest again screaming in pain from the roll to the floor. It was hard to breathe. The wrap preventing him from taking in a deep breath.

"I'll be ok Starsk." Hutch pulled off his jacket. "It looks like it's just a flesh wound." He went to the kitchen drawer and found a towel and wrapped it around the injured arm. He grabbed another towel, and ran it under some water from the sink. He walked over to his friend.

"Your looking a little ghostly there buddy, and you need to ease your breathing." He sat next to him and laid his hand on Starsky's chest, his breathing was shallow and rapid.

"Come on babe… slow it down a little, or your going to hyperventilate." His soft and tender voice calming. He wiped the blood off his face. Noticing that it was just a couple small cuts.

"What took you so long?" Starsky asked as he reached over and grabbed onto Hutch's leg, an anchor to help reconnect, and to help to keep the room from spinning out of control.

"I was shopping for my impatience partner. You just couldn't wait for me to get back here before you took things into your own hands? Keeping all the fun to yourself?"

"Well, I called twice." Starsky blew out a breath as his heart and breathing slowed.

"We need to work on your communication skills." Hutch could feel through the pressure wrap, a muscle spasm coming from Stasky's left side of his chest. Hutch sat at Starsky's side, quietly soothing away the spasm with a soft rub, his long fingers messaging the offending muscle. It always amazed Starsky how a hardened, street tough, and at times a bulldog of a partner he had, could, in the blink of an eye, turn into a soft spoken, gentle handed, and compassionate person. His own pain pushed aside to care for him.

They heard sirens coming up the street. "Sounds like Tice is here." Hutch said as he put a hand on the brunet's forehead_. Damn fever is back_. "Babe, when this mess gets cleaned up, your taking more pills and a long nap."

"I think I'll have to agree with ya on that one. Hey, Rojas said something about an inside man. I bet you we have a leak at the precinct," he then coughed trying to clear more of the tightness of his chest.

"I'll call Dobey and have him check into it. Not much we can do from here."

Tice and Ward rushed into the apartment, guns drawn. "You two alright?" Tice asked while walking over to the three men sprawled out on the floor. Ward standing at the door, a bit in shock of the sight in front of him.

"Yeah, we're ok. I see your wife got a hold of you. You got here quick."

"We were on our way back in town when the call came through. She said there was a problem with your partner and a strange truck in town. We put two and two together. Figured it was this Rojas characture. I guess I figured right. Mind letting me know what happened…for the report?" he asked while standing over the corpses.

"Sure, but first I need you to get the doc over here. Have him bring his bag with him," Hutch told him, never leaving eye contact with Starsky.

"Hutch took one in the arm," Starsky added to the sentence.

Tice walked around the couch. He eyed the towel wrapped around the blonds' arm with a large crimson spot and a trail of red running down his arm.

"Your hurt."

"It's just a scratch. I'm more concerned about my partner here. Please the doctor?" Hutch turned towards him and handed the sheriff his wife's gun to him. "Fired once into Rojas," Hutch informed him.

"Sure," he put the gun in his jacket pocket. "Ward, run up to Doc's office tell him what has happened. Have him bring his medical bag with him. Then you need to bring three body bags, so that we can clean this mess up. They're in storage in the back room next to Doc's office."

Ward left the apartment without a word spoken. Tice picked up the phone, dialed and with phone in hand, walked over to the bodies. He told the person on the other end of the phone what had occurred and informed them of the road conditions. Then told them of a possible landing area for a helicopter to pick up the bodies, so that they can be flown to the city. He hung up the phone and stood a moment and stared at the partners.

Hutch was seated on the edge of the couch with Starsky proped up on one end, leggs stretched out, trying to ease a sudden coughing spasm and looking quite pale.

"You bust up something inside?" Tice asked sympathetically.

"I don't think so. Just took a hard roll to the floor." Starsky told him, his voice not much over a whisper.

Ruth and Linda were both standing outside when they saw Ward run up the road.

"Is everything alright at the apartments?" Ruth yell to Ward.

"I've got to get the doc over there. There was a shooting."

"Are the detectivs ok?" Linda asked with alarm and concern in her voice.

"They've got into a bit of trouble, but they took care of things." He ran into City Hall for the doctor. A short time later he and the doctor were on they're way to the apartments. Doc with his bag in hand and Ward with a large box containing the body bags.

Ruth walked out the general store with a bag with the things that Hutch had picked out. Linda too had gone back in for the food that Hutch had requested, and was also on her way to the apartments. A few of the town folks, who also heard the gun shoots were standing at the front of the building. The two detectives were again the talk of the town.

"You two sure do know how to keep things jumping around here when your in town." Tice told the two men sitting on the couch.

"Well it sure isn't by choice," Hutch glance up at the sheriff.

The doctor entered the apartment building. Hutch eyed him as he walked to the door. The doctor eyed the three bodies on the floor, and was on his way to them when Hutch spoke up.

"Over here Doc, please," Hutch stood up and allowed the doctor to get to his partner.

"Well you two have had a pretty trying day today. I thought I told you to take it easy and get some rest," looking down at Starsky, then back at the three deceased men behind him. "How can I help you this afternoon?" placing his bag on the coffee table next the couch.

"Starsky took a hard fall onto the floor, and the fever is back." Hutch stepped a little closer to the couch again.

"I think you need to look at Hutch first Doc. He took a bullet in the arm." Starsky softly spook to him as he was opening his bag. The doctor turned his attention to the other man, eyeing the towel.

"Starsky…he needs to look at you first, I'll live. He's the one who's having problems breathing Doc." Again the doctor turned to the man on the couch.

"'m ok. Doc, please humor me and look at the bullheaded blonds' arm first. Before he bleeds all over the floor."

Hutch went to protest again, but clamped his mouth shut when Starsky stuck his tongue out at him_. _Hutch just shook his head. _He's_ _such a kid. _

"Ok boys…enough with the tennis game," the doctor had enough of being played back and forth.

The doctor turned his attention to the tall blond. He had a small smile on his face. "Lets walk over to the sink and see if we can't get this cleaned up better. I need to get a better look at it." He said as he removed the towel from around Hutch's arm. Hutch walked over to the sink with the doc, glancing over his shoulder at his partner. The muscle spasm he was working on earlier had eased it's grip and Starsky's breathing was calmer, but his own worry level was still high. He couldn't help it, Starsky was permently inbedded under his skin.

"Ooch!" he hissed and sucked in air as the doctor poked around on the arm. The blood still running, but the flow had dwindled some. "Going to need a few stitches in that. Lets walk to my office and let me tend to it."

"Can't you just bandage it up?" Although Hutch already knew the answer to the question before he even asked it. He'd been there before, between the two of them, they had seen their fair share of gun and knife wounds, and trips to the E.R. He was just reluctant to leave his partner.

"It's a little deeper then that." He wraped a freash bandage around his arm and motioned for him to follow him to the office.

"We'll go after you check my partner out first," again, concern for himself pushed aside.

Doctor Taylor walked back over to the couch. He bent over his patient. "What happened?" he asked as he pulled his stethiscopoe out to check his heart rate. It was a little fast, but not fast enough to warrant any concern. He then checked the wrap to make sure that it was still good and tight.

"I rolled off the couch. Landed hard on the hip and my side. I don't think I broke anything, just knocked the wind out of myself for a second," his voice still soft.

Doc Taylor then took his temperature. All the while Hutch was again hovering like a mother hen. Starsky gave him a wink while he had the thermometer in his mouth. Again the doctor smiled. He didn't even want to start to analize these two. He wouldn't even know where to start, so he just let it be as it was, two tough, city detectives with a soft side towards each other. He took the thermometer back. "Your fever is back. You need to take a couple of the pills I gave you earlier and rest. You do know what that means? No excitement." He demanded as he placed a couple band-aids on the fresh cuts on his forehead.

"I think all the excitement is now over as far as this case is concered,"Hutch told him as he looked over at the bodies.

"Can't help it Doc, seems our job follows us where ever we go." Starsky looked up at his partner, Hutch with a small frown on his face. The last few days were catching up with the tall cop. His shoulders were a little slouched over and hung his head a little lower, he looked frazzled. He could tell that his emotional friend was also thinking about the dangers of their job, and that they can't even seem to get a day off from it, without it interfering with their lives. He also knows that this is who they were, cops and trouble came with the territory.

"Well, you two are going to take the next couple of days off, nothing but rest, and if you don't, I'll put in a call to your captain." He continued to poke around some more and checked the wrists and ankle. "You're going to need fresh bandages on this," he said as he pulled the pant leg back down from around the right ankle.

"Well Blondie over here went shopping, but came back empty handed."

"I'll pick everything up when I get done with Doc. He's alright thou?" he asked the doctor.

"Sure, like I said…needs the medication and rest. Right now lets get you stitched up." The doctor stood, gathered up his bag and headed for the door.

"You going to be alright for a bit?" Hutch's voice with concern, looking down at the brunet.

"I'll be alright. Go get your arm taken care of. And don't forget what you went after in the first place, ok? The sherrif and I will get the details taken care of and this mess cleaned up." He reached up and gave Hutch a quick squeeze on the arm. In return, Hutch patted him on the shoulder.

Hutch followed the doctor out the room, sidestepping Ward, who was standing in the door still holding the box, and trying to keep people away from the crime scene. Hutch saw both Linda and Ruth standing out front.

"Are you alright?" Ruth asked looking at the white wrap around his arm with a red blood spot.

"Just a scratch. Thank you for bringing these things over for me. I was going to get them as soon as I was done with the doc here," he grabbed the box from her.

"I also brought your food over for you. We all really hope that you two are alright." Linda told him as she handed the bag of food to him also.

"We're fine. Thank you again for bringing this over to us." Hutch turned around and went back into the apartment. "Look Starsk, food is here. I'll walk down and get the arm taken care of, then we'll eat." He placed the stuff on the table in the kitchen.

"Good, I'll try to wait for you to get back." Starsky smilled up at him.

Ward walked in the room and over to the three men on the floor. He dropped the box of bags and stood and stared down at the bodies.

"Come on Ward, lets get this over with. The recovery chopper will be here soon." Tice said looking at the man who looked a little pale. It's not like Ward hadn't seen a dead body before. Just not one with fresh bullet holes in them.

"Sheriff, could you please bring me the phone? I need to put in a call to Dobey, to let him know what has happened."

Tice handed him the phone then went back to help Ward bag up the bodies. Starsky laid the phone down on his chest and called Metro.

"Captn' Dobey please. Captn' it's Starsky."

"Well Dave, how are you? You know that you had us all worried here."

"I was worried myself. That partner of mine came through for me once again. Captn' the reason that I called is that you can call off the search for Rojas. He showed up out here."

"You two alright? What happened?"

"Lets just say that the Feds are goin' to be fighting over a dead body.

"Well that's good news. I'll inform everyone here. You two are alright thou?"

"Hutch took a bullet to the arm. The doc is fixing him up now. Sheriff Tice is having the bodies flown into town. They're getting the mess cleaned up now. I'll give our statement to him and have him get everything to you. Doc says we need to take a couple days off, to rest and get the fever down."

"You two sure know how to squeeze time off from the department. Just glad that your alright." the captain said lightheartedly.

"We'll get back in town after a couple days. Tice said that the roads are still bad, reason for the helicoptor for the bodies. Captn' one more thing, Rojas had mentioned something about an inside man. He knew that Hutch had found me. The only way for him to know that, is if that person worked for the department."

"Starsky you sure that you heard him right?"

"Yeah, Captn'."

"I'll get things here checked out. You two just get well enough to get back here." The captain said with anger in his voice. Just thinking that he had a bad cop in the department upset him even more.

"Yes Sir." Starsky hung up the phone. "Well sheriff, guess all this will keep the town talkin' for a while."

The captain slammed the phone down on the receiver_. Damn! _He opened the door into the squad room with a bit more force then needed, and looked over the personal that was there. Minnie with her back to the captain, her petite frame bent over, and flipping through a file next to Starsky's desk, she turned and looked at the agitated captain. Simmons and Babcock, both at their desk, working on the same case file, Starskys'. Baker was on the phone in the middle of a heated argument. Two other uniforms were in the room. Dobey recognized them from Booking. Everyone stopped at what they were doing and looked at him.

"Listen up people." He then glanced out the large window and noticed a young uniformed man standing and staring in the room. He had a strange smile on his face. The captain had only seen him in the hallways a couple times. "I don't want any reaction out of you at this time. I just talked to Starsky, they got Rojas up there." A slight sigh of relief went through the squad room. "We may have his inside man here in the department," he hissed out. "Simmons," Dobey barked out, while keeping an eye on the man staring in at everybody. He walked over to the table that Simmons and Babcock shared and then turned his back to the window.

"Yes Sir, Captain?" Looking up to the large black man that now loomed over them.

"I want you two to casually look over my shoulder and tell me if you know that man staring in the room." Dobey told them. Babcock walked over to the table that was located under the window and thumbed through the files as if looking for something. Simmons took that cue to look up towards him with a casual look, trying not to give the man outside the room any reason to think they were on to him.

"Sure," looking back at the captain, "ran into him in the hallway on Monday. He was asking questions about Starsky and Hutch. Mainly about their partnership. Is there a problem?"

"Minnie, I want you to casually walk out the room and over to R&I. Get this man's police file. I want to know who he is. And I want it now!"

Minnie put a smile on her face and walked out the room. She smiled up to the man staring in the window. "Good evening," she said as she took notice of the man's name tag, 'Steller', _I've got you, you son-of-a-bitch, _she thought to herself. _Hurt one of our own will you? _The young man just smiled an odd smile to her then turned his attention back to the squad room. She continued her way down the corridorand out the double doors to R&I.

"Walker and Dale, you two get back down to Booking, and not a word about this!" A stern demand that was to be followed or lose their badges. "Yes Sir!" They knew how important this case was. Knowing the two detectives personally, they wanted to make sure everyone involved in the kidnapping was caught.

They both went to walk out the door, "You taste that junk they tried to pass off as meatloaf today in the cafeteria?" Walker asked Dale while they passed Steller still standing and looking in the window. "Was that what that was?" They turned the corner, now out of earshot and sight, the two men quickened their pace and headed back down to Booking.

Dobey walked over to Hutch's desk and casually leaned on to it, picked up a file and turned so that he would be able to keep an eye on the intruder. Baker hung up the phone, having won whatever the argument was over. He gave the captain a small smile.

"Wipe that smile off your face. I don't want to give this S.O.B. any indication that we're on to him. Now get your nose in a case file." Dobey snapped at him, and throwing a fist at him.

The afternoon was giving way to evening. For the next hour both detectives took care of the business at hand. Hutch was at the doctor's office getting stitched up. Starsky giving Sheriff Tice accounts of what happened. The sheriff also went about retrieving the bullets fired by the criminals. One from the ceiling plaster, one embedded in the coffee table, one from the rug fibers, and the last one that opened up Hutch's arm and hit the door frame. All bagged and setting with his notes from Starsky, along with the criminal's weapons. Ward was busy with getting the bodies ready to load into waiting trucks to meet the helicopter. Kevin Owens came in and worked on repairing the door jam from where it was kicked in. The small crowd of town folks outside the building looked on and whispered amongst themselves about the two city cops entangled in a shootout in their little town.

With Kevin's help, Ward and the sheriff loaded the bodies into the back of both Ward's and Kevin's trucks to meet the helicopter.

Hutch was back at the apartments as the two trucks eased their way out of town. The small crowd dispersed back into their own business, leaving Hutch and Starsky to take care of each other.

Starsky was still where Hutch had left him on the couch, when he came back into the room closing the door behind him.

"Hey buddy." Starsky said looking up over the couch at his partner.

"Hey yourself. How you feeling?" He laid the duffle bag that he grabbed out of the truck of the Torino down, and walked around the couch and sat next to him. "Tice get everything taken care of here?"

"Yeah, he got everything cleaned up. I put in a call to Doby and let him know what had happened. He's looking for the leak. I see that Doc got you patched up. Hurt much?" Starsky gently placed his hand on Hutch's arm, turning it slightly to get a better look.

"Some. Looks like we're going to be sharing pain pills tonight. I'm going to fix us some food. Then your taking your pills and then a quiet night." He reached down and brushed a curl off from the fresh band-aid on his forehead. "How 'bout we first get you more comfortable? Maybe a shower first?"

"Food first, then a shower, 'k?"

"Sure buddy." Hutch got up and walked over to where he had placed the box and bag of food that the ladies were so kind to bring to them. He then went about fixing the two of them a small meal. He brought a plate over to Starsky, then sat down on the coffee table. The two men sat quietly eating. Starsky looking at his tomato sandwich every now and then. Wasn't exactly what he was wishing for but it would have to do. He had to admit to himself that his stomach was still a little upset, but he wouldn't say that to his overly worried partner.

"Now how about that wash up? I'll put fresh dressing on those cuts after your done." Hutch reached over and took his empty plate from him.

"I'm going to need help," Starsky stated with a sigh. Feeling a little defeated over the whole miserable past couple of days. He just wasn't one to ask for help, but also knew that Hutch was the only one close enough to him that he would ever admit defeat to.

"I'm at your becking call my dear man. What ever your need, just let the Blond Blitz know. Now lets get you up from there and into the bath."

With Hutch's help, Starsky was up. With his whole body screaming at him, they slowly made it into the bath and got him seated on the closed toilet seat, and unclothed. Hutch slowly removed the chest wrap. The brusing around his chest made Hutch step back.

"You alright there?" Starsky asked softly while sucking in a much needed deep breath.

"It's just …" He didn't know how to end the sentence, so he turned towards the tub and got the water started. Then he took a big step away from the tub with a look of horror, never leaving eye contact with the running water. Memories flood him everywhere he look.

"It's just what, Hutch?" Seeing the pain in his partner's eyes. The sadness was there, the emotions were back. His friend cared for him so deeply, it pained him to see him in such turmoil. "Please look at me. I'm going to be alright." Starsky reached out to him. "Hutch please."

Hutch stood in front of him, took the hand that was offered to him, and looked down into those deep sapphire blue eyes. "It's just that, it's too fresh in my head. I see you laying there in the dark, the water. God…Starsk…I..I.. nearly lost you. I…I wouldn't be able to go on, " his voice broke.

"I know how you feel buddy. I wouldn't be able to go on either, if anything was to happon to you," Looking back into sky blue eyes. "Lets get me showered. Your tired, I know that you haven't slept the past couple days. It's going to be alright."

Starsky took hold of Hutchs' arm and raised himself up and turned towards the tub. His mind also flooded with the fresh memories. He closed his eyes. _It's over, It's over. I'm alive. Got to_ _get past this. _He smiled up to Hutch as he stepped into the tub. The warm spray from the shower felt good. Hutch stood close to assist when he needed it. Starsky carefully washed where he could reach. Hutch helped with the rest. Again, modesty was void. They spent too much time over the years careing for each other, that this was just second nature for them, to nurse maid each other. True friendship.

With the shower done, Hutch proceeded to tend to the wounds. The chest wrap went back on, then rebandaging what cuts that needed attention. They then made their way back to the couch.

Minnie quickly left R&I with the file in hand, and made her way back to the squad room. Her pace quickened with the knowledge that she could be holding viable information. She turned the corner and found Steller sitting on the steps across from the squad room. He had the same odd smile on his face. He seemed to enjoy the panic look on the faces in the room across from him. _You're a sick man. _Minnie thaught to herself. She went past him without acknowledging him.

Dobey was still leaned against Hutch's desk when Minnie approached. She handed him the file. Dobey's eyes widned. _Damn! _"Babcock and Simmons, GO GET HIM! I want this man down in booking right now! Get him out of my sight!" The two detectives were up from their seats and exited the room. They stopped in front of the man and had him cuffed before he time to think about what was happoning. The look on his face was pure astonishment. Simmons read him his rights and they were about to escort him to holding when Dobey came out to the three men in the hall. "WAIT…I want to know WHY!" he demanded.

"Because my uncle wants him to suffer for what he did to my cousin. The opportunity arose, and I was just glad to help. Just didn't expect that blond to care so much about his partner."

"Well I guess you found out, that you messed with the wrong pair of cops. Get this scum out of my face." Dobey's face red with anger, his fists balled up.

Dobey turned and stormed back into his office, slamming the door behind him. He paced the room as he continued to look through the file. Steller was transferred from a precenct out side of L.A. three weeks earlier. The research report stated that he was also the nephew of one George Prudeolm. The same man that killed two policemen and Starsky's girlfriend, Terry. All in revenge for his son's death in prison. All because Starsky had caught him selling drugs on school campus. Dobey got on the phone to his two detectives.

The evening found the partners quietly reading. Starsky stretched out across the couch, his legs comfortably laid across Hutch's lap. Starsky was reading Popular Mechanics. Hutch, with his outdoor magazine laid out on Starsky's knees, let his left hand unconsciously massaging Starsky's calves, slowly moving from one leg to the other. Finally they could breathe easier knowing that at this time no-one was out there gunning for them. Safe together. The outside world quiet for now.

The phone broke the soft silence of the room. Hutch reached over Starsky's knees for the phone that was on the coffee table.

"Hutchinson here."

"Hutch, it's Dobey."

"Yes Sir?"

"Looks like you two can rest easily. We got the inside man. He's in booking now."

"That's great Captn'" Hutch smiled over at his partner. "They got him," he whispered over to him.

"There's just one thing that I think you should know." Doby cleared his throat.

"What's that Captain?" Hutch asked.

"The man was a nephew of George Prudeolm."

Hutch sat quietly, the smile gone and he lowered his head, looking away from his partner.

"Hutch did you hear what I just told you?"

"Yes Sir. I'll let him know. Thanks Captain." Hutch placed the reciever back on it's base. He turned and looked at Starsky, who had a curious look on his face. He wasn't sure how to tell him.

"Um… they got the man."

"Well, I got that part. What else is there? Whats wrong?"

"It was a nephew of Prudeolm. They're booking him now." Hutch laid his hand over Starsky's. Starsky picked his legs up and scrunched them up against Hutch's leg and sat up a bit. Hutch watched his face for a reaction to the news that he just gave him.

"Hutch…," he looked down at their hands, "will this ever stop with this man? Even from prison he is still torturing me. Two cops are dead, and so is Terry, and I almost joined her, in a way, by this man's hands." A saddened look was all Hutch found.

"Sometimes people just can't get over a loss, and it eats away at them. They cease to exist in a world of reality, and live in a world of hate. Unfortunatly this man's passion for hatred is targeted at you. There's nothing anyone can do. I know that's not what you wanted to hear right now. Just remember that we can both fight that hatred together." Hutch squeezed his hand.

Starsky looked up and saw a soft look of concern on the blond's face. "Me and thee," he said softly. He suddenly felt tired. The pain pills had kicked in and the mood was solemn.

"I think I'll turn in," he quietly anounced.

Hutch raised and offered an arm and hand. "Alright, I'll help get you tucked in."

Starsky accepted and slowly got to his feet. They made their way across the room and got him into bed. Hutch went to turn the lights out. Starsky grabbed his arm.

"Hutch?" was all he asked. He tone and softness was all Hutch needed to hear, to know

that the bed was big enough for the two of them, and that Starsky needed a reassuring

presence. It isn't the first time that either was needing the comfortable contact of the other for the night. Just the presence of the other was all that was needed to ease the mind and soul into a more restful night.

Their jobs as homicide detectives in the worst part of the city, would show it's ugly side, even after hours. Times it would envade their nights in the form of some hellish nightmares. Each man knows that the other was just a phone call away, day or night, and an explanation wasn't needed.

Hutch walked over to the door to make sure that it was locked and turned out the room light. He got back to the bed and Starsky had moved over to the far side next to the wall. Hutch laid down and reached over and turned out the light that was on the nightstand. Darkness closed in on the room. A small indication of the street light from out side snuck in around the edges of the curtain in the window.

The two laid quietly in the darken room. "Hutch?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"Terry was there." Starsky softly told him.

"She was where?"

"She was there with me before you found me. She was there in the darkness, when I had given up. She told me that everything was going to be alright. I wasn't afraid anymore. I'm sorry that I gave up on you finding me," his voice cracked a little with emotion. Hutch picked up on it. He turned over on to his side to face his partner.

"Babe, it's ok. It was me who didn't keep the promise to her. She had entrusted you to me, and look what happened."

"Please try to understand Hutch. I gave up on you and myself. I knew that you were out there looking for me, but yet I gave up. I hurt so bad. I couldn't do anything to help myself, and I couldn't go on anymore, so I gave up. There wasn't anyone there to be angry at, to put my mind somewhere else other then on the pain. I got to the point that I couldn't feel you, or see and hear you in my head anymore, so I gave in to the pain.

"I know you did. I felt the void, the sudden emptiness in that part of my heart that you hold. But we're going to ok." Hutch laid a hand on Starsky's chest. "I will always be there for you, and in here. Please remember that," he said as he gently patted him on the chest. "That will never change. That is a promise that I made to Terry, and I intend on keeping it."

Silence invaded the room.

"Hutch?" Starsky breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Your going to wash under the hood of the car, right?"

Hutch snorted, the mood now lighter. "Sure…I'll make sure I pop the hood, and also clean around the tail pipes."

Silence again.

Hutch rolled back over onto his back and stared up at the dark ceiling. Starsky rolled over and curled up next to him. Hutch laid his arm around him and hugged him closer.

'_Yes Terry…I will always love him and won't let him change.' _

THE END


End file.
